Directed differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells to a myelinating cell fate

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides methods of inducing differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells to a mature myelinating cell fate with a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent. The present invention also provides methods of stimulating increased myelination in a subject in need thereof by administering said neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent. Methods of treating a subject having a demyelinating disease using a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/444,666, filed Feb. 18, 2011, the entire content ofwhich is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Multiple sclerosis (MS) afflicts approximately 400,000 people in theUnited States and 2.5 million worldwide. MS is an inflammatory diseasein which myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cordare damaged. In MS as well as other demyelinating diseases, autoimmuneinflammatory attack against myelin and oligodendrocytes causesdemyelination. The thinning or loss of myelin surrounding axons impairsthe ability of the axons to effectively conduct signals and results inprogressive neuronal damage.

Remyelination is the process by which new myelin sheaths are generatedaround axons. Remyelination persists throughout adulthood in the CNS andinvolves the generation of new myelinating oligodendrocytes (C.Ffrench-Constant, M. C. Raff, Nature, 319, 499 (1986)). Despitecontroversy regarding their intrinsic in vitro and in vivo lineagepotential (M. C. Nunes et al., Nat Med, 9, 439 (2003); S. Belachew etal., J Cell Biol, 161, 169 (2003); T. Kondo, M. Raff, Science, 289, 1754(2000); Jackson, 2006; Zhu, 2011; Richardson, 2011; R. J. Franklin, C.Ffrench-Constant, Nat Rev Neurosci, 9, 839 (2008)), compelling evidenceindicates that a widespread proliferating population of nerve/glialantigen-2 (NG2), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (alpha subunit,PDGFRa) positive cells, termed NG2-glia or oligodendrocyte precursorcells (OPCs), are the major source of newly formed matureoligodendrocytes required for remyelination (P. J. Homer et al., JNeurosci, 20, 2218 (2000); M. C. Nunes et al., Nat Med, 9, 439 (2003);J. M. Gensert, J. E. Goldman, Neuron, 19, 197 (1997); M. S. Windrem etal., Nat Med, 10, 93 (2004); R. J. Franklin, C. Ffrench-Constant, NatRev Neurosci, 9, 839 (2008); Richarson, 2011).

Remyelination can occur following the loss of myelin in diseases such asMS, thus restoring neurological function to axons. However, althoughremyelination can occur in the early stages of MS, oligodendrocytes areunable to completely rebuild the myelin sheath, and repeatedinflammatory attacks ultimately lead to fewer effective remyelinationsuntil plaques build up around the damaged axons. A primary cause ofremyelination failure is the progressive inability of somaticoligodendrocyte precursor cells to differentiate at the sites of injury.Thus, remission in MS is largely dependent upon OPCs migrating to sitesof injury, and subsequently differentiating to a mature cell fatecapable of repair (J. R. Patel, R. S. Klein, FEBS Lett, 585, 3730(2011); D. Kremer et al., Ann Neurol, 69, 602 (2011); A. Chang et al., NEngl J Med, 346, 165 (2002)). Studies aimed at evaluating the presenceand relative densities of OPCs at sites of chronically demyelinated MSlesions indicate that it is not a failure of repopulation or migrationof OPCs, but rather inhibition of OPC differentiation at sites of injurythat contributes to disease progression (D. M. Chari, W. F. Blakemore,Glia, 37, 307 (2002); D. M. Chari et al., J Neurosci Res, 73, 787(2003); G. Wolswijk, J Neurosci, 18, 601 (1998); A. Chang et al., N EnglJ Med, 346, 165 (2002); T. Kuhlmann et al., Brain, 131, 1749 (2008)).

There is no known cure for MS. For treating acute inflammatory attacks,intravenous corticosteroids are typically administered. Other treatmentsfor MS involve the administration of an immunomodulator. Althoughimmunomodulators are able to reduce the frequency and severity ofattacks or accumulation of lesions, they do not promote remyelination ofdamaged axons.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides for methods of stimulatingincreased myelination of nerves in a subject in need thereof. In someembodiments, the method comprises administering to the subject atherapeutically effective dose of a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent selected from a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopaminereceptor antagonist, a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergicreceptor modulator, and an opioid receptor modulator; therebystimulating increased myelination of nerves in the subject.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for methods oftreating a subject having a demyelinating disease. In some embodiments,the method comprises administering to the subject a therapeuticallyeffective dose of a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent selectedfrom a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, andan opioid receptor modulator; thereby treating the demyelinatingdisease.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides for methods ofenhancing the therapeutic effect of an immunomodulatory agent in asubject in need thereof. In some embodiments, the method comprisesadministering to the subject the immunomodulatory agent and aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; thereby enhancing thetherapeutic effect of the immunomodulatory agent.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is amuscarinic receptor antagonist. In some embodiments, the muscarinicreceptor antagonist is a muscarinic receptor modulator compound listedin Table 1. In some embodiments, the muscarinic receptor is selectedfrom benztropine, carbetapentane, clemastine, ipratropium, atropine, andsalts thereof.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is adopamine receptor antagonist. In some embodiments, the dopamine receptorantagonist is a dopamine receptor modulator compound listed in Table 1.In some embodiments, the dopamine receptor antagonist is selected frombenztropine, GBR12935, trifluoperazine, and salts thereof.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is ahistamine receptor antagonist. In some embodiments, the histaminereceptor antagonist is a histamine receptor modulator compound listed inTable 1. In some embodiments, the histamine receptor antagonist isclemastine or a salt thereof.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is abeta adrenergic receptor modulator. In some embodiments, the betaadrenergic receptor modulator is a beta adrenergic receptor modulatorcompound listed in Table 1. In some embodiments, the beta adrenergicreceptor modulator is selected from pindolol, salmeterol, salbutamol,albuterol, and salts thereof.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isan opioid receptor modulator. In some embodiments, the opioid receptormodulator is an opioid receptor modulator compound listed in Table 1. Insome embodiments, the opioid receptor modulator is carbetapentane,Snc-80, BD-1047, or salts thereof.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isbenztropine, carbetapentane, clemastine, pindolol, ipratropium,atropine, GBR12935, Snc-80, BD-1047, salmeterol, albuterol,trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isbenztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate).

In some embodiments, the subject has a demyelinating disease. In someembodiments, the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis, idiopathicinflammatory demyelinating disease, transverse myelitis, Devic'sdisease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis,leukoystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatorydemyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis,adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary opticneuropathy, or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-associatedmyelopathy. In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease is multiplesclerosis. In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease isrelapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). In some embodiments, thedemyelinating disease is secondary progressive multiple sclerosis(SPMS). In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease is primaryprogressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS). In some embodiments, thedemyelinating disease is progressive relapsing multiple sclerosis(PRMS).

In some embodiments, the subject is a human. In some embodiments, thesubject is a non-human mammal.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises administering to thesubject an immunomodulatory agent. In some embodiments, theimmunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab. Insome embodiments, the immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720),interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b.

In some embodiments, the method comprises administering to the subject atherapeutically effective or optimal dose of one or both of theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and the immunomodulatoryagent. In some embodiments, the method comprises administering to thesubject a subtherapeutic dose of one or both of the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent and the immunomodulatory agent. In someembodiments, the method comprises administering to the subject atherapeutically effective dose or optimal dose of the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent and a subtherapeutic dose of theimmunomodulatory agent. In some embodiments, the method comprisesadministering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose or optimaldose of the immunomodulatory agent and a subtherapeutic dose of theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent.

In some embodiments, the method comprises administering one or both ofthe neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and the immunomodulatoryagent systemically. In some embodiments, the method comprisesadministering the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and theimmunomodulatory agent sequentially. In some embodiments, the methodcomprises administering the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agentconcurrently.

In another aspect, the present invention provides for compositions foruse in treating a subject having a demyelinating disease. In someembodiments, the composition comprises:

-   -   a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; and    -   an immunomodulatory agent.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides for kits for usein treating a subject having a demyelinating disease. In someembodiments, the composition comprises:

-   -   a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; and    -   an immunomodulatory agent.

In some embodiments, the composition or kit comprises a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent as described herein and an immunomodulatoryagent as described herein. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is selected from a muscarinic receptorantagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histamine receptorantagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioid receptormodulator. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent is benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol,trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine or a saltthereof. In some embodiments, the immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod(FTY720), interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol,salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof and the immunomodulatoryagent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isformulated as a therapeutically effective or optimal dose and theimmunomodulatory agent is formulated as a therapeutically effective oroptimal dose. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent is formulated as a therapeutically effective or optimaldose and the immunomodulatory agent is formulated as a subtherapeuticdose. In some embodiments, the immunomodulatory agent is formulated as atherapeutically effective or optimal dose and the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is formulated as a subtherapeutic dose. Insome embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isformulated as a subtherapeutic dose and the immunomodulatory agent isformulated as a subtherapeutic dose.

In yet another aspect, the present invention also provides for use of acomposition as described herein for the manufacture of a medicament forthe treatment of a demyelinating disease.

DEFINITIONS

As used herein, the term “neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent”refers to an agent that inhibits or activates the activity of aneurotransmitter receptor. In some embodiments, the term refers to acompound that modulates the activity of a muscarinic receptor (e.g., amuscarinic receptor antagonist), a dopamine receptor (e.g., a dopaminereceptor antagonist), a histamine receptor (e.g., a histamine receptorantagonist), a beta adrenergic receptor (e.g., a beta adrenergicreceptor antagonist), or an opioid receptor (e.g., an opioid receptormodulator). For any compound that is identified as a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent (e.g., a compound described in Table 1herein), it is also contemplated that any pharmaceutically acceptablesalts, prodrugs, racemic mixtures, conformational and/or opticalisomers, crystalline polymorphs and isotopic variants of the compoundmay also be used. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent is a small molecule, e.g., a molecule having amolecular weight of less than 800 kDa. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is a small molecule that isable to cross the blood-brain barrier.

As used herein, the term “oligodendrocyte precursor cell” or “OPC”refers to an undifferentiated progenitor cell with the capacity toself-renew and differentiate into a myelinating oligodendrocyte. A“mature myelinating cell fate” refers to cell that is capable of formingmyelin, e.g., a myelinating oligodendrocyte. “Differentiation” refers tothe process by which a specialized cell type is formed from a lessspecialized cell type, for example, a myelinating oligodendrocyte froman OPC. In some embodiments, an OPC is identified by morphology and/orby the presence of a biomarker, e.g., PDGFR-α or NG2. In someembodiments, a myelinating oligodendrocyte is identified by morphologyand/or by the presence of a marker, e.g., myelin basic protein (MBP),myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), 2′3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′phosphodiesterase (CNP), galactocebroside (GalC), O1 antigen (O1), or O4antigen (O4).

As used herein, the terms “stimulating increased myelination” or“stimulate increased myelination” refer to inducing an increased amountof myelin surrounding an axon, e.g., by administering an agent thatinduces the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells to amature myelinating cell fate, as compared to the amount of myelinsurrounding the axon in the absence of the agent being administered. Insome embodiments, an agent stimulates “increased” myelination when theamount of myelin surrounding the axon in a sample (e.g., a brain tissuesample from a subject having a demyelinating disease) subsequent toadministration of an agent that induces the differentiation of OPCs to amature myelinating cell fate is at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%,40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or more as compared to the amount ofmyelin surrounding the axon in the sample prior to administration of theagent. The amount of myelin surrounding an axon can be measured by anymethod known in the art, e.g., using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).In some embodiments, an agent stimulates increased myelination when oneor more characteristics of a demyelinating disease (e.g., multiplesclerosis) improves subsequent to administration of an agent thatinduces differentiation of OPCs to a mature myelinating cell fate ascompared to the characteristic of the diseases prior to administrationof the agent. As a non-limiting example, an agent is said to stimulateincreased myelination in a subject having multiple sclerosis when thefrequency and/or severity of inflammatory attacks decreases subsequentto administration of an agent as compared to the frequency and/orseverity of inflammatory attacks prior to administration of the agent.

As used herein, the term “demyelinating disease” refers to a disease orcondition of the nervous system characterized by damage to or loss ofthe myelin sheath of neurons. A demyelinating disease can be a diseaseaffecting the central nervous system or a disease affecting theperipheral nervous system. Examples of demyelinating diseases include,but are not limited to, multiple sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatorydemyelinating disease, transverse myelitis, Devic's disease, progressivemultifocal leukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis, leukoystrophy,Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinatingpolyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Toothdisease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, adrenoleukodystrophy,adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, orHTLV-associated myelopathy. In some embodiments, the demyelinatingdisease is multiple sclerosis.

As used herein, the term “subject” refers to animals such as mammals,including, but not limited to, primates (e.g., humans), cows, sheep,goats, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, rats, mice and the like. In someembodiments, the subject is a human.

As used herein, the term “compound” refers to any molecule, eithernaturally occurring or synthetic, e.g., peptide, protein, oligopeptide(e.g., from about 5 to about 50 amino acids in length), small organicmolecule, polysaccharide, peptide, circular peptide, peptidomimetic,lipid, fatty acid, siRNA, polynucleotide, oligonucleotide, etc., to betested for the capacity to induce OPC differentiation. The compound tobe tested can be in the form of a library of test compounds, such as acombinatorial or randomized library that provides a sufficient range ofdiversity. Test compounds are optionally linked to a fusion partner,e.g., targeting compounds, rescue compounds, dimerization compounds,stabilizing compounds, addressable compounds, and other functionalmoieties. Conventionally, compounds are screened by identifying a testcompound (called a “screening hit”) with some desirable property oractivity, e.g., inducing activity, and screening hits are confirmed andvalidated using in vitro and in vivo assays. Often, high throughputscreening (HTS) methods are employed for such an analysis.

An “agonist” refers to an agent that stimulates, increases, activates,or enhances activation of a neurotransmitter receptor (e.g., muscarinicreceptor, dopamine receptor, histamine receptor, beta adrenergicreceptor, and/or opioid receptor) of the invention.

An “antagonist” refers to an agent that partially or totally blocksstimulation, decreases, prevents, inactivates, or delays activation of aneurotransmitter receptor (e.g., muscarinic receptor, dopamine receptor,histamine receptor, beta adrenergic receptor, and/or opioid receptor) ofthe invention.

As used herein, the terms “therapeutically effective amount or dose” or“therapeutically sufficient amount or dose” or “effective or sufficientamount or dose” refer to a dose that produces therapeutic effects forwhich it is administered when it is administered on its own. The exactdose will depend on the purpose of the treatment, and will beascertainable by one skilled in the art using known techniques (see,e.g., Lieberman, Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms (vols. 1-3, 1992); Lloyd,The Art, Science and Technology of Pharmaceutical Compounding (1999);Pickar, Dosage Calculations (1999); and Remington: The Science andPractice of Pharmacy, 20th Edition, 2003, Gennaro, Ed., Lippincott,Williams & Wilkins).

As used herein, the terms “administer” or “administering” refer to anytype of administration, including but not limited to oraladministration, administration as a suppository, topical contact,parenteral, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, intralesional,intranasal or subcutaneous administration, intrathecal administration,or the implantation of a slow-release device e.g., a mini-osmotic pump,to the subject.

As used herein, the terms “treat” or “treating” or “treatment” refer toany indicia of success in the treatment or amelioration of an injury,pathology, condition, or symptom (e.g., pain), including any objectiveor subjective parameter such as abatement; remission; diminishing ofsymptoms or making the symptom, injury, pathology or condition moretolerable to the patient; decreasing the frequency or duration of thesymptom or condition; or, in some situations, preventing the onset ofthe symptom or condition. The treatment or amelioration of symptoms canbe based on any objective or subjective parameter; including, e.g., theresult of a physical examination.

As used herein, the term “subtherapeutic dose” refers to a dose of apharmacologically active agent(s), either as an administered dose ofpharmacologically active agent, or actual level of pharmacologicallyactive agent in a subject, that functionally is insufficient to elicitthe intended pharmacological effect in itself, or that quantitatively isless than the established therapeutic dose for that particularpharmacological agent (e.g., as published in a reference consulted by aperson of skill, for example, doses for a pharmacological agentpublished in the Physicians' Desk Reference, 66th Ed., 2012, PDRNetwork, LLC; or Brunton, et al., Goodman & Gilman's The PharmacologicalBasis of Therapeutics, 12th edition, 2011, McGraw-Hill Professional)when administered on its own. A “subtherapeutic dose” can be defined inrelative terms (i.e., as a percentage amount (less than 100%) of theamount of pharmacologically active agent conventionally administered).For example, a subtherapeutic dose amount can be about 1% to about 75%of the amount of pharmacologically active agent conventionallyadministered. In some embodiments, a subtherapeutic dose can be about75%, 50%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 10% or less, of the amount of pharmacologicallyactive agent conventionally administered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. Neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents dose dependentlyinduce OPC differentiation. (A) Chemical structures of representativeidentified OPC differentiating molecules. The calculated EC₅₀ valueswere determined using appropriate Graphpad Prism 5.0 curve fittingsoftware. (B) Dose dependent compound induced OPC differentiation. OPCswere plated in 384 well plates at 1000 cells per well in OPC mediacontaining basal PDGF-αα (2 ng/mL) and treated with serial dilutions ofcompounds. Following six days of compound treatment, cells were fixedand subjected to immunofluorescence analysis using anti-myelin basicprotein (MBP) antibody. Image acquisition and quantification of MBPstaining was performed using the OPERA imaging system. (C) Maximal OPCdifferentiation inducing activity of identified compounds compared toDMSO control.

FIG. 2. Neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents induce thedifferentiation of OPCs to a myelinating oligodendrocyte cell fate. (A)Western blot analysis of OPCs treated with compounds at EC₉₀concentrations for 6 days. Total protein was isolated from cell pelletsand probed for myelin basic protein (MBP) and myelin oligodendrocyteglycoprotein (MOG) using specific antibodies. (B-C) Quantitative RT-PCR(qRT-PCR) analysis of OPCs treated with compounds at EC₉₀ concentrationsfor 6 days. Total RNA was isolated from cell pellets and reversetranscribed. MBP and MOG expression was quantified using specific probesand Taqman-based qRT-PCR. Expression was normalized to the internalcontrols β-actin and GAPDH. Fold change in gene expression over DMSOtreated control cells is plotted for MBP (B) and MOG (C). Results aredisplayed as mean+/−standard deviation, n=3.

FIG. 3. Immunofluorescence analysis of compound treated OPCs usingmature oligodendrocyte specific markers. Immunofluorescence stainingusing specific antibodies for MBP, MOG, and 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′phosphodiesterase (CNP). Nuclei were identified using DAPI. Compoundtreatment of OPCs at EC₉₀ concentrations for 6 days induces the robustexpression of mature oligodendrocyte markers.

FIG. 4. Immunofluorescence analysis of compound treated OPCs usingmature oligodendrocyte specific markers. Immunofluorescence stainingusing specific antibodies for galactocereberoside (GalC),oligodendrocyte marker O1 (O1) and oligodendrocyte marker O4 (O4).Nuclei were identified using DAPI. Compound treatment of OPCs at EC₉₀concentrations for 6 days induces the robust expression of matureoligodendrocyte markers.

FIG. 5. Representative neurotransmitter receptor modulating agentsbenzatropine and trifluoperazine ameliorate symptoms in a PLP inducedrelapsing EAE mouse model. SJL mice were immunized with proteolipidpeptide (PLP) and pertussis toxin and monitored daily with scoring onthe standard clinical EAE scale (0-5). Compounds were administered dailyfor the duration of the study in saline at 10 mg/kg via intra-peritonealinjection (0.1 ml), starting on the day of the appearance of clinicalEAE symptoms (day 10). Sub-optimal dosing of mycophenolate mofetil at 20mg/kg in sterile saline (pH 5) was administered in combination withbenzatropine and trifluoperazine respectively, starting on the day ofpeak clinical EAE symptoms (day 14) post PLP injection. Mean clinicalEAE score and standard error of mean (SEM) are shown for each studygroup. Mice in the vehicle control group, n=6 (FIG. 5A-E, open boxes)show appearance of acute phase (mean maximal clinical EAE score of 2±0.8on day 11) followed by remission (mean maximal clinical EAE score of0.3±0.3 on day 19) and relapse of EAE symptoms (mean maximal clinicalEAE score of 1.5±0.4 on day 25). Mycophenolate mofetil, n=6 (FIG. 5Aclosed boxes) shows partial reduction in the severity of relapse (meanmaximal EAE score 0.7±0.3 on day 25, p value <0.05). Benzatropine, n=5(FIG. 5B closed boxes) and trifluoperazine, n=6 (FIG. 5D closed boxes)show a significant reduction in the severity of relapse (mean maximalclinical EAE score 0.2±0.2 (day 25) and 0.4±0.4 (day 26) respectively, pvalues <0.001). Benzatropine and trifluoperazine in combination withmycophenolate mofetil, n=6 for both (FIG. 5C and FIG. 5E respectively,closed boxes) show complete suppression of relapse (mean maximalclinical EAE score 0±0 for both on day 25, p values <0.001).

FIG. 6. Muscarinic receptor antagonism induces OPC differentiation butis not the sole pharmacological mechanism of all identifieddifferentiation inducing agents. (A) The muscarinic receptor agonistcarbachol antagonizes compound induced OPC differentiation in somecases. OPCs were plated in 384-well plates at 1000 cells per well inmedia containing compounds at EC₉₀ concentrations and treated with 1:3serial dilutions of carbachol. Following 6 days of treatment, cells werefixed and stained for MBP. Plates were imaged using the OPERA highcontent screening system and MBP staining was quantified as described.Carbachol treatment results in dose dependent inhibition of thedifferentiation activity of benzatropine, carbapentane and clemastine,while no effect is observed on the differentiation activity ofsalmeterol, GBR12935 and trifluoperazine. (B) Carbachol-induced calcium(Ca²⁺) influx is blocked by the muscarinic receptor antagonist activityof some compounds. OPCs were plated in 384-well plates at 5000 cells perwell in media containing basal PDGF-α. Cells were equilibrated with Ca²⁺sensitive Fluo-3AM® dye in HBSS for 30 min. Multiple concentrations ofOPC differentiation-inducing compounds (3 times the EC₉₀, EC₉₀ and EC₅₀)were added followed by addition of 1:3 serial dilutions of themuscarinic receptor agonist Carbachol. Ca²⁺ influx was immediatelymeasured using the FLIPR TETRA® system. Shown are representative datafor carbachol treatment at 100 uM and compound treatment at EC₉₀.Relative light units (RLU) indicating Ca²⁺ influx are plotted on they-axis and time (in sec) after addition of carbachol plotted on thex-axis. GBR12935, trifluoperazine, and salmeterol (top) show no effecton carbachol induced Ca²⁺ influx while clemastine, benzatropine, andcarbapentane (bottom) inhibit Ca²⁺ influx induced by carbachol.

FIG. 7. A high throughput screen identified muscarinic receptorantagonist benztropine as an inducer of OPC differentiation. (A)Benztropine [1.5 uM] and positive control thyroid hormone [1 uM] treatedrat OPCs were cultured under basal differentiation conditions (2 ng/mlPDGF) for 6 days and stained for MBP (green). The structure ofbenztropine is also shown. (B) Benztropine [1.5 uM] treated OPCs wereanalyzed for MBP and MOG expression after 6 days in culture usingqRT-PCR. (C) OPCs were co-treated with benztropine [2.3 uM] andcarbachol [0 uM, 0.6 uM and 4.7 uM] for 6 days under basaldifferentiation conditions and stained for MBP.

FIG. 8. Benztropine decreases the clinical severity of disease in thePLP induced EAE model for MS. (A) Benztropine decreased the clinicalseverity of disease in the PLP induced EAE model when dosedprophylactically (starting on the day of PLP injection) as well astherapeutically (at the start of EAE symptoms) and showed efficacycomparable to FTY720 (1 mg/kg) and interferon-β (10,000 U/mouse). (B)Quantification of confocal images of spinal cord sections from EAE micetreated with benztropine and stained with specific antibodies for GST-π(a marker of mature oligodendrocytes) and NG2 (a marker of OPCs) showedincreased GST-π positive cells as compared to vehicle treated mice, withno change in the number of NG2 positive cells. (C) Representativeconfocal images of spinal cord sections from EAE mice treated withbenztropine and stained with specific antibodies for GST-π (matureoligodendrocytes) and NG2 (OPCs).

FIG. 9. Benztropine treatment induces remyelination in vivo in thecuprizone model. (A) Representative images from the corpus callosumregion of the brain at various time points show increased remyelinationobserved in benzatropine treated mice as compared to vehicle treatedmice 2 weeks after cuprizone withdrawal and commencement of drugadministration. (B) Quantification of the myelinated areas in the corpuscallosum region shows a significant (˜2-fold) increase in myelinstaining in benztropine treated mice as compared vehicle controls 2weeks after drug treatment. Data is represented in terms of thresholdbins on the grey scale (0-50) as described. Error bars representstandard deviations of at least 6 corpus callosum regions.

FIG. 10. Combination with benztropine improves efficacy and allows for areduction in the dose of FTY720 and interferon-β. (A) Clinical EAEscores for mice treated with FTY720 (1 mg/kg) in combination withbenztropine (BA; 2.5 mg/kg) show a significantly decreased clinicalseverity as compared to mice treated with FTY720 (1 mg/kg) orbenztropine (2.5 mg/kg) alone. (B) Clinical EAE scores for mice treatedwith Interferon-β (IFN; 10,000 U/mouse) in combination with benztropine(BA, 2.5 mg/kg) show a significantly decreased clinical severity ascompared to mice treated with Interferon-γ (IFN; 10,000 U/mouse) orBenztropine (2.5 mg/kg) alone. (C) Clinical EAE scores for mice treatedwith FTY720 (0.1 mg/kg) or FTY720 (0.1 mg/kg) or benztropine (BA; 2.5mg/kg). (D) Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with interferon-β (IFN;3000 U/mouse) or interferon-β (IFN; 10,000 U/mouse) or benztropine (BA;2.5 mg/kg). (E) Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with FTY720 (0.1mg/kg) in combination with benztropine (BA; 2.5 mg/kg) show a comparabledecrease in clinical severity scores as compared to FTY720 (1 mg/kg),facilitating the reduction in the dose of FTY720. (F) Clinical EAEscores for mice treated with interferon-β (IFN; 3000 U/mouse) incombination with benztropine (BA; 2.5 mg/kg) do not show a comparabledecrease in clinical severity scores as interferon-β (IFN; 10,000U/mouse). Error bars indicate standard deviation of the mean within eachgroup of 8 mice.

FIG. 11. Screen to identify inducers of OPC differentiation. (A) OPCswere maintained as proliferating A2B5-positive cells under basal growthconditions (Neurobasal medium, B27 supplement without Vitamin A,non-essential amino acids, L-Glutamine, 30 ng/ml PDGF). OPCs were platedin basal differentiation media (Neurobasal medium, B27 supplementwithout Vitamin A, non-essential amino acids, L-Glutamine, 2 ng/mlPDGF), treated with DMSO (<0.1%) or thyroid hormone (1 uM), fixed after6 days in culture, and stained using antibodies for CNP, O4, or MBP.A2B5-positive OPCs differentiate into immature oligodendrocytes thatexpress CNP and O4, but not MBP, upon withdrawal of PDGF. Addition ofthyroid hormone induces the differentiation of OPCs into matureoligodendrocytes that express MBP. (B) Screen strategy using A2B5positive OPCs cultured under basal differentiation conditions andtreated with compounds for 6 days to identify small molecules thatinduce the differentiation of OPCs to mature, MBP expressingoligodendrocytes.

FIG. 12. Primary hit confirmation. (A) Dose response assay used toconfirm primary screening hits and determine potency (EC₅₀). (EC₅₀) isdefined as the concentration that results in a half maximal increase inthe percentage of total cells that express MBP as detected byimmunostaining OPCs were cultured in differentiation medium and treatedwith benztropine or control (DMSO <0.01%) for 6 days. Cells were fixedand immunostained using antibodies for MBP. Error bars representstandard deviations from 3 replicate experiments. (B) Representativeimages show dose dependent activity of benztropine.

FIG. 13. Benztropine induces differentiation of OPCs to matureoligodendrocytes. OPCs were plated in differentiation medium (Neurobasalmedium, B27 supplement without Vitamin A, non-essential amino acids,L-Glutamine, 2 ng/ml PDGF) and treated with DMSO (<0.01%), benztropine[1.5 uM] or thyroid hormone [1 uM]. After 6 days in culture, cells wereanalyzed for MBP and MOG expression by Western blot.

FIG. 14. Compound treatment induces the differentiation of OPCs tomature oligodendrocytes. OPCs were plated in differentiation medium(Neurobasal medium, B27 supplement without Vitamin A, non-essentialamino acids, L-Glutamine, 2 ng/ml PDGF) and treated with DMSO (<0.01%),benztropine [1.5 uM] or thyroid hormone [1 uM] for 6 days. Cells werefixed and immunostained for MBP, MOG, CNP, GalC, O1, or O4.Representative images of DMSO, benztropine and thyroid hormone treatedcells show expression of mature oligodendrocyte markers in benztropineand thyroid hormone treated cells, but not in DMSO treated cells.

FIG. 15. Gene expression profile of OPCs differentiated tooligodendrocytes by benztropine treatment. OPCs were plated indifferentiation medium and treated with DMSO (<0.1%), benztropine [2.3uM] or thyroid hormone [1 uM] for 6 days. OPCs from the same passagewere also pelleted and frozen. Total RNA was isolated from the cells andgene expression analysis was performed using rat genome arrays fromAffymetrix. Global clustering analysis of mRNA expression probe setsthat displayed a >2-fold change in expression across samples showsclustering of benztropine treated samples with thyroid hormone treatedsamples while gene expression profiles of DMSO treated cells clusterwith OPCs. Data are represented as fold change over DMSO treatedcontrols. Increased expression of mature oligodendrocyte genes was seenin compound treated cells as compared to DMSO treated cells.

FIG. 16. Gene expression profiles of benztropine treated cells show adownregulation of OPC genes and an upregulation of matureoligodendrocyte genes. (A) Increased expression (fold change) of matureoligodendrocyte genes in compound treated cells as compared to DMSOtreated cells. (B) Decreased expression (fold change) of OPC genes incompound treated cells as compared to DMSO treated cells.

FIG. 17. Timing of compound treatment determines the efficiency ofdifferentiation. (A) OPCs were plated in differentiation medium on day 0and treated with compounds on various days. Cells were fixed andimmunostained for MBP on day 6 after plating. (B) OPCs were plated indifferentiation medium on day 0 and treated with compounds 12 hourslater. Cells were fixed on various days following compound treatment andimmunostained for MBP. (C) Treatment with benztropine within 48 hours ofplating in differentiation medium induced efficient differentiation ofOPCs to mature oligodendrocytes. Compound treatment 72 hours or moreafter plating in differentiation medium reduced the efficiency ofdifferentiation of OPCs. (D) Benztropine treatment for a minimum of 5days was necessary to induce efficient differentiation of OPCs to matureoligodendrocytes.

FIG. 18. Carbachol antagonizes benztropine induced OPC differentiation.OPCs were plated in basal differentiation media and co-treated withbenztropine [2.3 uM] and carbachol [0 uM, 0.6 uM or 4.7 uM] for 6 daysand stained for MBP (green).

FIG. 19. Benztropine has no effect on histamine receptor signaling. OPCswere plated in basal differentiation medium (Neurobasal medium, B27supplement without Vitamin A, non-essential amino acids, L-Glutamine, 2ng/ml PDGF) and co-treated with various concentrations of benztropineand (A) histamine or (B) the histamine receptor agonist histaminetrifluoromethyltoluidide (HTMT).

FIG. 20. Benztropine has no effect on dopamine D2 and D3 receptorsignaling. OPCs plated in basal differentiation medium (Neurobasalmedium, B27 supplement without Vitamin A, non-essential amino acids,L-Glutamine, 2 ng/ml PDGF) and co-treated with various concentrations ofbenztropine and the dopamine receptor (A) agonist quinpirole or (B)antagonist haloperidol. Error bars indicate standard deviations of 3replicate measurements.

FIG. 21. Muscarinic antagonists induce differentiation of OPCs tooligodendrocytes. OPCs were plated in differentiation medium (2 ng/mlPDGF) and treated with various concentrations of compounds for 6 days.Cells were fixed and immunostained for MBP. Selective muscarinicantagonists oxybutynin, atropine, ipratropium, propiverine, andscopolamine induced differentiation of OPCs in a dose dependent manner.EC₅₀ values for compound induced differentiation are indicated.

FIG. 22. OPCs express muscarinic receptors and choline acetyltransferase. Total RNA was isolated from OPCs treated with DMSO (<0.1%)or thyroid hormone [1 uM] for 6 days, or from whole rat brain. RNA wasreverse transcribed to cDNA and gene expression of muscarinic receptorsM₁, M₂, or M₃ was detected by PCR using gene specific primers.

FIG. 23. Antagonism of M₁/M₃ muscarinic signaling pathway by benztropineprimes OPCs for differentiation. (A) OPCs were treated with benztropine[10 uM] for the indicated times and pelleted for Western blot analysisof total protein. Benztropine inhibits signaling proteins downstream ofM₁/M₃ muscarinic receptors by down-regulating phosphorylation of Akt,p42MAP Kinase, and increasing phosphorylation of p38MAP Kinase and CREB.(B) OPCs were plated in basal differentiation conditions and treatedwith benztropine [1.5 uM], thyroid hormone [1 uM] or DMSO (<0.1%). OPCsfrom the same passage were also pelleted and frozen. Total RNA wasisolated from the cells, reverse transcribed to first strand cDNA andused as a template for qRT-PCR. Gene specific FAM labeled probes wereused to detect expression levels of various genes, with probes forbeta-actin and GAPDH as internal controls. Gene expression shows adownregulation in cell cycle genes such as Cyclin D1, Cyclin D2, c-Fos,c-Jun indicating an exit from cell cycle. (C) Signaling pathwaydownstream of the M₁/M₃ muscarinic receptors.

FIG. 24. Benztropine antagonizes the M₁/M₃ muscarinic receptors but notthe M₂/M₄ muscarinic receptors. OPCs were plated in differentiationmedia for 12 hours. Media was changed to Hank's Balanced Salt Solution(HBSS) with 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)and cells were treated with benztropine at various concentrations for 1hour. Carbachol was added and calcium flux was measured for 186 secondsusing the FLIPR TETRA® system. (A) Carbachol induced a dose dependentincrease in intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. (B) Benztropine dose dependentlyblocked carbachol induced calcium influx through antagonism of M₁/M₃muscarinic receptors. (C) Atropine, a muscarinic antagonist, serves as apositive control. (D) OPCs were plated in differentiation medium for 12hours. A cAMP-HTRF assay was performed using the cAMP dynamic 2 kit.Benztropine had no effect on the levels of cAMP. IBMX was added as acAMP stabilizer, and forskolin was a positive control.

FIG. 25. Dose dependent activity of prophylactic benztropine in the EAEmodel. EAE was induced in mice using PLP and pertussis toxin.Benztropine dissolved in saline at various doses was injected via I.P.injection daily using the prophylactic mode followed by scoring clinicalsymptoms. Prophylactic dosing is defined as administration of compoundcommenced on the day of PLP injection. Error bars indicate standarddeviation of the mean within each group of 8 mice.

FIG. 26. Benztropine treatment induces remyelination in vivo in the PLPinduced EAE models for MS. Benztropine does not block lymphocyteinfiltration in EAE mice, but leads to significantly increased LFBstaining, indicating the presence of myelin in areas infiltrated bylymphocytes as compared to vehicle treated mice. EAE was induced in miceby injecting PLP and pertussis toxin and the mice were treated withbenztropine (10 mg/kg) or vehicle controls at the first appearance ofEAE symptoms. Spinal cords were isolated from mice representative of theaverage group scores during the relapse phase of EAE, sectioned andstained with Luxol Fast Blue and H&E (left panel) and Luxol Fast Blueonly (right panel). Arrows point to regions of lymphocyte infiltration.

FIG. 27. Benztropine has no effect on T-cell activation andproliferation in vitro. Total splenocytes were isolated from mice andstimulated with CD3 and analyzed by flow cytometry for expression ofT-cell activation markers CD69 and CD25 and T-cell proliferation usingCFSE. (A) Unstimulated cells. (B) DMSO treated cells. (C) Mycophenolatesuppresses the activation and proliferation of T-cells as compared toDMSO. (D) Benztropine has no effect on T-cell activation. (E)Mycophenolate suppresses T-cell proliferation. (F) Benztropine has noeffect on T-cell proliferation. The numbers represent percentage gatedpopulations positive for the given marker.

FIG. 28. Benztropine shows no immunosuppressive effects in vivo afterinduction of EAE in mice. EAE was induced in mice by injecting PLP andpertussis toxin. Benztropine (10 mg/kg) and saline (vehicle control)were injected intraperitoneally in the therapeutic mode for 14 days.Total splenocytes were isolated from the mice, stimulated with PMA andionomycin, and analyzed for various populations of immune cells andcytokine secretion after 48 hours. Protein transport was blocked incells used for cytokine analysis using Monoeiosin. Benztropine treatmenthad no effect on the number of total splenocytes (A), number of B cells(B), number of CD4⁺ T-cells (C), number of CD8⁺ T-cells (D), number ofCD4⁺/CD44Hi T-cells (E), and number of CD8⁺/CD44Hi T-cells (F).Benztropine also had no effect on cytokine production measured as thenumber of IL2 producing CD4⁺ T-cells (G), number of IL10 producing CD4⁺T-cells (H), number of TNF-α producing CD4⁺ T-cells and number of IFN-γproducing CD4⁺ T-cells. Error bars indicate standard deviation of themean within each group of 5 mice. Representative flow cytometry scatterplots (K) show similar numbers of CD4⁺, CD8⁺, and CD44⁺ cells in spleensisolated from vehicle treated mice and benztropine treated mice.

FIG. 29. Benztropine shows no immunosuppressive effects in vivo innormal mice. Benztropine (10 mg/kg) and saline (vehicle control) wereinjected intraperitoneally in normal mice for 14 days. Total splenocyteswere isolated from the mice, stimulated with PMA and ionomycin andanalyzed for various populations of immune cells and cytokine secretionafter 48 hrs. Protein transport was blocked in cells used for cytokineanalysis using monoeiosin. Benztropine treatment had no effect on thenumber of total splenocytes (A), number of B cells (B), number of CD4⁺T-cells (C), number of CD8⁺ T-cells (D), number of CD4⁺/CD44Hi T-cells(E) and number of CD8⁺/CD44Hi T-cells (F). Benztropine also had noeffect on cytokine production measured as the number of IL2 producingCD4⁺ T-cells (G), number of IL10 producing CD4⁺ T -cells (H), number ofTNF-γ producing CD4⁺ T-cells and number of IFN-γ producing CD4⁺ T-cells.Error bars indicate standard deviation of the mean within each group of5 mice.

FIG. 30. Benztropine does not suppress T-cell dependent and independentimmune responses. Mice were injected with Keyhole Limpet Hemocyaninprotein conjugated to 2,4,6, trinitrophenylhapten (TNP-KLH),lipopolysaccharide conjugated to 2,4,6, trinitrophenylhapten (TNP-LPS),or TNP (2,4,6-Trinitrophenyl)-FICOLL conjugate (TNP-Ficoll) inappropriate adjuvants and treated with vehicle or benztropine (10mg/kg). Serum was isolated at various time points and IgG and IgM levelswere measured by ELISA. (A, B) Benztropine showed no effect on TNP-LPSinduced T-cell independent B-cell responses measured as serum IgM andIgG levels. (C, D) Benztropine showed no effect on TNP-Ficoll inducedT-cell independent B-cell responses measured as serum IgM and IgGlevels. (E, F) Benztropine showed no effect on TNP-KLH induced T-celldependent B-cell responses measured as serum IgM and IgG levels. Errorbars represent standard deviations from 3 replicate ELISAs performed onsamples from 5 mice in each treatment group.

FIG. 31. Quantification of myelination staining in the cuprizone model.(A) Luxol Fast Blue staining was performed on sections from the corpuscallosum region of the brains isolated from mice treated either withbenztropine (10 mg/kg) or vehicle control after 7 weeks of exposure tocuprizone. (B) Images were converted to a 256 shade grey scale. (C) The256 shades of grey were divided into 5 bins of 50 shades each. Number ofobjects in the corpus callosum region in each bin were counted usingImage-Pro plus. (D) Representative images of Image-Pro rendering of thequantification of objects in each bin.

FIG. 32. Western blot analysis of cleaved caspase activity indifferentiated OPCs. OPCs were plated in basal differentiation media andtreated with benztropine [1.5 uM], thyroid hormone [1 uM] or DMSO[<0.1%] for 6 days. Total protein was isolated and analyzed by Westernblot using a specific antibody for the expression of caspase 3 andcleaved caspase 3. No expression of cleaved caspase 3 was detected inthe compound treated cells or in untreated OPCs.

FIG. 33. Combination with benztropine improves efficacy and allows for areduction in the dose of FTY720 and interferon-β. EAE was induced inmice using PLP and pertussis toxin. Benztropine (2.5 mg/kg) and FTY720(various doses) and interferon (various does) were injected viaintraperitoneal injections in the therapeutic mode at the start of EAEsymptoms. (A) Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with FTY720 at dosesof 1 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg show a dose dependent activity forFTY720. (B) Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with interferon-β atdoses of 10,000 U, 3000 U and 1000 U per mouse shows a dose dependentactivity for interferon-β (C) Combinations of benztropine (2.5 mg/kg)with FTY720 (1 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/kg). (D) Combinations ofbenztropine (2.5 mg/kg) with interferon-β (10,000 U, 3000 U and 1000 Uper mouse). (E) Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with FTY720 (0.01mg/kg) in combination with benztropine (BA; 2.5 mg/kg) does not show asignificantly decreased clinical severity as compared to mice treatedwith FTY720 (0.01 mg/kg) or benztropine (2.5 mg/kg) alone. (F) ClinicalEAE scores for mice treated with interferon-β (IFN; 1000 U/mouse) incombination with benztropine (BA, 2.5 mg/kg) does not show asignificantly decreased clinical severity as compared to mice treatedwith interferon-β (IFN; 1000 U/mouse) or benztropine (2.5 mg/kg) alone.Error bars indicate standard deviation of the mean within each group of8 mice.

FIG. 34. Identified compounds decrease clinical severity in the EAEmodel. EAE was induced in mice by injecting PLP in complete Freund'sadjuvant (CFA) and pertussis toxin, and the animals were scored dailyfor clinical severity of disease on a scale of 0-5. (A) Clinical EAEscores for mice treated with benztropine (10 mg/kg) in the therapeuticmode (injections starting at the first appearance of EAE symptoms on day8-10) showed a significantly decreased clinical severity in the relapsephase of the disease as compared to vehicle treated mice. (B) ClinicalEAE scores for mice treated with benztropine (10 mg/kg) in theprophylactic mode (injections starting on day 0) showed a significantlydecreased clinical severity in both acute and relapse phase of thedisease as compared to vehicle treated mice. (C) Benztropine showed adose dependent efficacy in decreasing clinical severity scores in theEAE model, with 12.5 mg/kg being the most effective dose and 0.1 mg/kgshowing no effect. Clinical EAE scores for mice treated with (D)trifluoperazine (10 mg/kg), (E) clemastine (10 mg/kg), or (E) salbutamol(10 mg/kg) in the therapeutic mode showed a significantly decreasedclinical severity in the relapse phase of the disease as compared tovehicle treated mice. Error bars indicate standard deviation of the meanwithin each group of 8-10 mice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I. Introduction

The present invention is based, in part, on the discovery that compoundsthat modulate various classes of neurotransmitter receptors, such asmuscarinic receptor antagonists, dopamine receptor antagonists,histamine receptor antagonists, beta adrenergic receptor antagonists,and opioid receptor modulators, promote the differentiation ofoligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into a mature myelinating cellfate (e.g., myelinating oligodendrocytes). Accordingly, in one aspect,the present invention provides for methods of inducing OPCdifferentiation to myelinating oligodendrocytes.

Without being bound by a particular theory, it is believed that indemyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, OPCs are present andable to migrate to demyelinated regions, suggesting that the progressivedecrease in remyelination in these diseases is not due to defects in OPCpopulation or recruitment, but rather is due to impaired differentiationof OPCs (reviewed in Chong and Chan, J. Cell Biol. 188:305-312 (2010)).Accordingly, the present invention further provides for methods ofstimulating increased myelination of nerves in a subject in need thereofby administering to a subject a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent, such as a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptorantagonist, a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptorantagonist, or an opioid receptor modulator. The present invention alsoprovides methods of treating a subject having a demyelinating disease byadministering to a subject a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent.

II. Agents that Stimulate Increased Myelination of Nerves

A. Neurotransmitter Receptor Modulating Agents

A neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is an agent that inducesoligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) differentiation to a maturemyelinating cell fate (e.g., myelinating oligodendrocytes) and/orstimulates increased myelination. In some embodiments, aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is selected from a muscarinicreceptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histaminereceptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioidreceptor modulator. As shown in the Examples section below, exemplarymembers of each of these classes of compounds has been shown to induceOPC differentiation to a myelinating oligodendrocyte cell fate, and thusstimulate increased myelination. Based on the data showing this activityof exemplary muscarinic receptor antagonists, dopamine receptorantagonists, histamine receptor antagonists, beta adrenergic receptorantagonists, and opioid receptor modulators, other compounds in each ofthese classes and having similar pharmacological mechanisms to theexemplified compounds, such as the compounds listed in Table 1, are alsopredicted to be useful for inducing OPC differentiation to a maturemyelinating cell fate (e.g., myelinating oligodendrocytes) and/orstimulating increased myelination.

In some embodiments, a compound that is identified as an agent thatstimulates increased myelination has “selective” activity for one ofthese classes of neurotransmitter receptors (i.e., has an agonistic orantagonistic effect against one of a muscarinic receptor, a dopaminereceptor, a histamine receptor, a beta adrenergic receptor, or an opioidreceptor, or a subtype of any of these receptors, and has a weakereffect or substantially no effect against the other receptors). In someembodiments, a compound that is identified as an agent that stimulatesincreased myelination has activity against two or more of these classesof neurotransmitter receptors or subtypes of neurotransmitter receptors.

TABLE 1 Neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents NeurotransmitterReceptor(s) Modulated Low Molecular Weight Compound MuscarinicDopaminergic Histaminergic Adrenergic Opioid Antitussive Serotonergic(−)-Norephedrine • (−)-Quinpirole hydrochloride • (−)-Terbuclomine •(+)-Butaclamol • (+)-BUTACLAMOL HYDROCHLORIDE • (+−)-Ethylketazocine •(+)-Lappaconitine • (+)-Scopolamine • (+−)-Trimethoquinol •(+/−)-Epibatidine • (1r,2r)-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid •(3,4-dihydroxyphenylamino)-2-imidazoline • .DELTA.9-Tetrahydrocannabinol• [11C]MNPA • • 1-((6,7-Dimethoxy-3-methyl-2- •benzofuranyl)carbonyl)-4-methylpiperazine monohydrochloride1-(3-bromo-5-isoxazolyl)-2-(tert- • butylamino)ethanol hydrochloride1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazine • 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazinedihydrochloride • 1-(3-Chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride •1-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-aminoethanol • 1,2,9,10-tetramethoxyaporphine • •1,4-bis{2-[(4-methoxynaphthalen-1- •yl)methylidene]hydrazinyl}phthalazine 1,5-Trimethylenetetrazole •1-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]piperazine • 121524-08-1 • 125-71-3(Parent) • 127-35-5 • 17-Hydroxy-2,3-cyclopropanoandrostane •19-Propylorvinol • 1-Benzylimidazole • 1-M-Thiq • 1-PHENYLPIPERAZINE •1-Propanamine, 3-dibenzo[b,e]thiepin-11(6H)- • ylidene-N,N-dimethyl-2-((2-Ethoxyphenoxy)phenylmethyl)morpholine • methanesulfonate2-(1-Piperazinyl)pyrimidine • 2-(2-Aminoethyl)pyridine •2-(2-Aminoethyl)pyridine dihydrochloride • 2-Detpq • 2-Methoxyidazoxan •2-METHYL-1,3-DIOXOLANE • 2-Thiazoleethanamine • 3-iodopindolol •3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate • 4-DAMP • 4-Damp methiodide • 4-DOI • 4-NMPB• 5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine • 5,7-DIHYDROXYTRYPTAMINE •5-Carboxamidotryptamine • 5-Fhdpat • 5-Hmdptme • 5-Hydroxypropafenone •5-Methylfurmethide • 5-Methylurapidil • 6-Dtaf • 6-Hydroxydopaminehydrobromide • 6-Hydroxydopamine hydrochloride • 6-nitroquipazine •76-57-3 • • 7-Ohdpat • 87-00-3 • 8-Artp • 8-OH-Dpat • A-38503 • A-77636hydrochloride • • acebutolol • Acebutolol hydrochloride • aceclidine •Aceclidine hydrochloride • Acepromazine maleate • Aceroxatidine •acetaminophen • Acetylpromazine • Acide tolfenamique [INN-French] •ACRIVASTINE • Actifed • ACTINOQUINOL SODIUM • Adobiol • ADRAFINIL •Adrenaline bitartrate • ADTN • Aerolone • Aerovent • Afdx 384 • AJ 76 •Aktamin hydrochloride • Alaproclate • Alaproclate hydrochloride •Alesion • Aleudrin • Alfenta • ALFENTANIL • Alfentanil hydrochloride •alfuzosin • Alginor • Algolysin • • Alimezine (TN) • Allegra •Allergival • Allococaine • Almotriptan • Alnespiron • • Alnespirone[INN] • • Alomide (TN) • ALOSETRON HYDROCHLORIDE • Aloxi • Aloxi (TN) •alpha-Ergocryptine • alpha-Methyldopa • alpha-Methylhistamine •alpha-Methyl-L-dopa • alpha-Methylserotonin • Alphaprodin • alprenolol •Alprenolol hydrochloride • alrestatin • Altat • amantadine • • •Amantadine hydrochloride • • • Ambenonium chloride • Amerge •Amfebutamone • amfebutamonum • Amibegron hydrochloride • amidephrine •amisulpride • amitriptyline • • Amitriptyline hydrochloride • •Amosulalol • amosulalol hydrochloride • amoxapine • • • Amperozide •Amperozide hydrochloride • AMPHETAMINE • • AMPHETAMINE SULFATE • •Amsulosin • Anatran • Andantol • Anemet • anisodamine • • anisodine •Anplag • antazoline • Antazoline hydrochloride • Antazoline phosphate •Antergan • • Antussan • Anzemet • apomorphine • • Apomorphine HCl • •apraclonidine • APRACLONIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE • a-prodine • Aprofenhydrochloride • Aprofene • Ara-putp • Arbutamina • ARBUTAMINE •Arbutamine hydrochloride • Arc 239 • arecoline • Arformoterol •Arotinolol • arotinolol hydrochloride • Artane • Arterenol bitartrate •Artex • Astelin • astemizole • Astomin • Astramorph • Atarax • atenolol• Atipamezole • Atomoxetine • ATROPINE • Atropine iodomethylate •Atropine methyl nitrate • Atropine sulfate • Atrovent • Auteral • Avacan• Avapyrazone • Avinza • Axert • Azaperone • AZATADINE • azelastine •Azepexole • Azepexole hydrochloride • Bamipine • Banistyl • Banthine •Batebulast • Batebulast hydrochloride • BD1047 • BE 2254 • Beforal • •Befunolol • Beldavrin • Bemesetron • • • BENACTYZINE • Benactyzinehydrochloride • benalfocin • Benextramine • Benfuran • Benoxathian •Benoxathian hydrochloride • BENPERIDOL • benserazide • • Bentanidol •Benzetimide • BENZETIMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE • Benzfetamine • • Benzhexol •Benzonatate • benzphetamine • • benztropine • • Benztropinum • •Berachin • beta-Cft • beta-ENDORPHIN • beta-Endorphin (1-31) •beta-Flupenthixol • betahistine • Betahistine dihydrochloride •Betahistine mesilate • betaxolol • Betaxolol hydrochloride • BETAZOLE •Betazole hydrochloride • bethanechol • Bethanechol chloride •Bethanidine • BINOSPIRONE MESYLATE • biperiden • Biperiden hydrochloride• Bisguanidinium phosphate • BISOPROLOL • Bisoprolol fumarate •Bitolterol • Bladderon • Bmy-7378 • Bonamine • BOPINDOLOL • Bornaprine •BrAAM • Bretylium tosylate • brimonidine • Brl 15572 • Brl 26830 • Brl37344A • Brl 48553 • Brl-15572 • Brl35135A • Brocadisipal •Brolamfetamine • bromocriptine • • bromopride • Bromopride hydrochloride• BROMPHENIRAMINE • Brompheniramine maleate • Broncaspin • Bronitin Mist• Bronkometer • Broxaterol • BTCP • Buccastem • • Bucindolol •Bucindolol hydrochloride • Buclizine • Buclodin • Budipine • Budipinehydrochloride • Bufetolol • Bufotenine • Bufuralol • Bunazosin • Bunolol• Bunolol hydrochloride • BUPRANOLOL • bupranolol hydrochloride •Buprenorfina [INN-Spanish] • buprenorphine • BUPRENORPHINE HYDROCHLORIDE• Buprenorphine hydrochloride solution • bupropion • Bupropionhydrochloride • BURIMAMIDE • Buscapine • buspirone • Buspironehydrochloride • BUTACLAMOL HYDROCHLORIDE • butanoic acid • Butaxamina •Butofilolol • butorphanol • • Butorphanol tartrate • • Butoxamine [INN]• BUTOXAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Butylhyoscine • Butylscopolamine • C11796 •C12H19NO2•HCl • C16H22ClNO • C19H25NO•HCl • C19H27ClN2O4•HCl •C20H27NO3•HCl • • C50H81N15O9 • C5976_SIGMA • cabergoline • • Caffeinebenzoate • Calcium fusarate • Camylofin • Carazolol • carbachol • •carbamazepine • Carbamazepine dihydrate • Carbamylcholine • •carbetapentane • • Carbetapentane citrate • • carbidopa • • Carbidopahydrate • • Carbidopa Monohydrate • • Carbidopa, (S)-Isomer • •Carbidopa-levodopa • • carbinoxamine • CARBINOXAMINE MALEATE •Carebastine • CARFENTANIL • CARTEOLOL • carteolol hydrochloride •carvedilol • CCRIS 3490 • CEC dihydrochloride • celiprolol • Centralvet• • Cerocral • cetirizine • Cevimeline • CGP 20712A • CGP 20712Amethanesulfonate • CGS 12066B • CGS 12066B dimaleate • CH 38083 • CHEBI:104181 • CHEBI: 117275 • CHEBI: 124645 • CHEBI: 126213 • CHEBI: 136626 •CHEBI: 142179 • CHEBI: 148898 • CHEBI: 159721 • • CHEBI: 161127 • CHEBI:178303 • CHEBI: 201827 • CHEBI: 238638 • CHEBI: 268876 • CHEBI: 334862 •CHEBI: 350546 • CHEBI: 36796 • • • CHEBI: 399928 • CHEBI: 40751 • CHEBI:431080 • CHEBI: 471632 • CHEBI: 48295 • CHEBI: 517861 • CHEBI: 583615 •CHEBI: 584626 • CHEBI: 623294 • CHEBI: 648957 • CHEBI: 702837 •CHEMBL446167 • CHEMBL93361 • CHLORAZINE • Chlorethylclonidine •Chloropyramine • Chloropyramine hydrochloride • chlorpheniramine •Chlorpheniramine maleate • chlorpromazine • Chlorpromazine hydrochloride• chlorprothixene • CIANOPRAMINE • Cid 105105 • CID5122 • CID517557 • •cimaterol • cimetidine • Cimetidine hydrochloride • CINANSERIN •Cinanserin hydrochloride • cinnarizine • ciproxifan • cirazoline •cisapride • Cisapride monohydrate • citalopram • citalopram hydrobromide• CL 316,243 • CL 316243 • Cl-Apb • Clearnal • clemastine • • Clemastine(USAN) • • CLEMASTINE FUMARATE • • clenbuterol • Clenbuterolhydrochloride • clidinium • CLIDINIUM BROMIDE • clobenpropit •Clobutinol • clomipramine • Clomipramine hydrochloride • clonidine •CLONIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE • CLOPENTHIXOL • Clopixol • Cloranolol •Clovoxamine • Clovoxamine fumarate • clozapine • cocaethylene •Cocaethyline • Cocain-chlorhydrat [German] • cocaine • COCAINEHYDROCHLORIDE • Cocaine muriate • codeine • • Cogentin • • Cogentinmesylate • • Cognex • Compazine • Concerta • Concordin • Congesteze •Contristamine • • Corindolan • Corlopam • Corynanthin • corynanthine •Corynanthine hydrochloride • CP 93129 • Crispin • Cromakalim • CV 705 •Cyanopindolol • • CYCLAZOCINE • CYCLIZINE • Cyclizine hydrochloride •Cyclogyl • cyclopentolate • CYPROHEPTADINE • • cyproheptadinehydrochloride • • Cystospaz • d1-hyoscyamine • DAGO • Daipin • Dalcipran• • Dalgan • Dalmee • DAMGO • Dapiprazole • Dapiprazole hydrochloride •Darifenacin • Darifenacin hydrobromide • Darvon • D-Chlorpheniramine •D-Dopa • • Debridat • DEBRISOQUIN SULFATE • Debrisoquine •deisopropyldisopyramide • Deltorphin C • Deltorphin I • Denopamine •Deprenalin • Deprenil • Deptropine • Deptropine citrate • Deramciclane[INN] • Deramciclane fumarate • Dermorphin • desipramine • • Desipraminehydrochloride • • Desloratadine • Desoxedrine • • Detrol •Dexbrompheniramine • DEXBROMPHENIRAMINE MALEATE • Dexchlorpheniraminemaleate • DEXETIMIDE • Dexfenfluramine • DEXMEDETOMIDINE •Dexmedetomidinum [INN-Latin] • • Dexmethylphenidate • DEXPROPRANOLOL •Dexpropranolol hydrochloride • dextroamphetamine • dextromethorphan •Dextromethorphan hydrobromide monohydrate • DEXTROMORAMIDE •Dextropropoxyphene • Dextrostat • DEZOCINE • Diacetylmonoxime •Diacetylmorphine • Diamaprit-2HCl • Dicetel • Dicodethal • • dicyclomine• Dicyclomine hydrochloride • Difril • DIHYDREXIDINE •Dihydro-alpha-ergocryptine mesylate • DIHYDROALPRENOLOL • DIHYDROCODEINE• Dihydrocodeine bitartrate • Dihydroergocornine • Dihydroergocristine •DIHYDROERGOCRISTINE MESYLATE • Dihydroergocryptine • dihydroergotamine •• • Dihydroergotamine mesilate • • • Dihydroetorphine • Dihydromorphine• Dihydroquinidine • Dihydroquinine • dihydroxyphenylalanine • Dilaudid• Dilevalol • Dilevalol hydrochloride • Dimaprit • Dimemorfan •Dimemorfan (INN) • Dimepheptanol • Dimethindene maleate •DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE • Dimetindene • Diphemanil • diphenhydramine •Diphenhydramine citrate • DIPHENHYDRAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE • DIPHENOXYLATE• Diphenoxylate HCl • dipivefrin • Dipivefrin hydrochloride • Dironyl •Ditropan • Dixyrazine • DL-Adrenaline • dl-Desoxyephedrine • • DL-DOPA •dl-Narcotine • DL-Oxyfedrine • DL-threo-3,4-Dihydroxyphenylserine •DL-threo-DOPS • dobutamine • Dobutamine hydrochloride • docarpamine •dolasetron • DOLASETRON MESYLATE • Dolasetronum [INN-Latin] • Domin • •domperidone • Domperidone Maleate • Dopabain • • dopamine • Dopaminehydrochloride • dopazinol • Dopexamine • • DOPEXAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE • •dosulepin hydrochloride • Dotarizine [INN] • Dothiepin • doxazosin •Doxazosin mesylate • doxepin • Doxepin Hydrochloride • Doxepine •DOXOFYLLINE • doxylamine • Doxylamine succinate • DPDPE • Dramamine •Drixoral • Dronabinol • droperidol • dropropizine • drotaverine •droxidopa • DSP 4 • DSP-4 hydrochloride • DU-29373 • duloxetine • • •DULOXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE • • • DuP 734 • Duremesin • Dynorphin 1-13 •ebastine • Ebrotidine • Ecopipam • Edronax • EEDQ • • • Efaroxan •Efaroxan hydrochloride • Effexor • Effortilvet • Eldoral • Eletriptan •Eletriptan hydrobromide • Eltoprazine • Eltoprazine hydrochloride •Emadine • emedastine • Emepronum • Emergil • Enantio-PAF C-16 •Endomorphin 1 • Endomorphin 2 • Endovalpin • ENTACAPONE • Epanolol •eperisone • Ephedrine • Ephedrine hydrochloride • EPHEDRINE SULFATE •Ephetonine • Epibatidine • epinastine • epinephrine • Epinephrinehydrochloride • Eplivanserin fumarate • Ergocryptine • Ergocryptinemesylate • Ergocryptine-alpha • Ergoloid mesylate • Ergomar • •Ergotamin • • ERGOTAMINE • • • ergotamine tartrate • Esbuphon • •Escitalopram • Escitalopram oxalate • Eseroline • ESMOLOL • Esmololhydrochloride • ethaverine • Ethaverine hydrochloride • ethopropazine •• • Ethopropazine hydrochloride • • • ETHYLKETOCYCLAZOCINE •Ethylmorphine • • Eticlopride • Eticlopride hydrochloride • Etilefrine •etilefrine hydrochloride • Etintidine • Etintidine hydrochloride •Etorphine • EU-0100372 • Eupaverina • Euspirol • Evoxac • exaprolol •Exaprolol hydrochloride • Falipamil • Famotidina • famotidine •Famotidine HCl • Fananserin • • Fastin • Femoxetine • Femoxetinum[INN-Latin] • Fencarbamide hydrochloride • Fencarol • Fenclonine •fenfluramine • Fenistil • fenoldopam • Fenoldopam bromide • fenoterol •Fenoterol hydrobromide • Fenoverine • fentanyl • Fentora • fexofenadine• FG 4963 • Finaten • Finibron • flavoxate • Flavoxate hydrochloride •Flb 457 • Flesinoxan • Flesinoxan hydrochloride • FLESTOLOL • FLESTOLOLSULFATE • Fluanxol depot (TN) • flunarizine • flunarizine hydrochloride• Fluorofen • fluoxetine • FLUPENTHIXOL DECANOATE • Flupentixol •FLUPHENAZINE • Fluphenazine hydrochloride • Fluspirilene • fluvoxamine •FLUVOXAMINE MALEATE • Focalin • FOMINOBEN • FONAZINE • formoterol •Frovatriptan • Frovatriptan succinate • fusaric acid • gabapentin •Galantamin • Galantamine • Galantamine hydrobromide • Ganglefene •Ganglerone • Gastrozepin • Gbr 12783 • GBR12935 • Geodon • • Gepirone •GEPIRONE HYDROCHLORIDE • Gevatran • glafenine • Glaucine • • Glauconex •Glaxo Wellcome brand of acrivastine • GLYCOPYRROLATE • Gnoscopine •Gotensin • GR 113808 • GR-127935 • granisetron • Granisetronhydrochloride • guanabenz • Guanabenz acetate • GUANETHIDINE •guanethidine sulfate • GUANFACINE • guanfacine hydrochloride • guanidine• Guanidine bromide • Guanidine hydrochloride • Guanidine nitrate •GUANIDINIUM • Gynergen • • Hag-PC • haloperidol • Haymine • HEAT •Hemicholinium • Hemicholinium-3 • Heroin hydrochloride • Hhsi-difenidol• Higenamine • Himbacine • histamine • Histamine dihydrochloride •Histamine diphosphate • Histamine hydrochloride • Histantin • Hoe-893d •HOMATROPINE • Homatropine hydrobromide (R,S) • Homocodeine • Hycodan • •Hydergine • • Hydriatine • Hydroaminacrine • HYDROCODONE • •hydromorphone • Hydromorphone hydrochloride • hydroquinidine •Hydroquinidine hydrochloride • HYDROQUININE • hydroxyzine • Hydroxyzinepamoate • Hyoscine hydrobromide • Hyoscine Methobromide • hyoscyamine •Hyoscyamine (D)- • Hyoscyamine sulfate • Hyoscyamine sulfate (USP) •Hypostamine • Hysco • Ibopamine • ibuprofen • IBZM • Icatibant •Icatibant acetate • Ici 118551 • ICI-89406 • IDAZOXAN • IDAZOXANHYDROCHLORIDE • Ifenprodil • ifenprodil tartrate • IHEAT • Ildamen •imetit • Imetit dihydrobromide • Imidacloprid • imipramine • Imipraminehydrochloride • IMPROMIDINE • Impromidine hydrochloride • Inapetyl • •INDALPINE • indanidine • Indenolol • Inderal • Indolophenanthridine • •INDORAMIN • Indorenate Hydrochloride • Inopamil • Insidon • intropin •Iodocyanopindolol • ipratropium • ipratropium bromide • Ipratropiumbromide monohydrate • Iprazochrome • Ips-339 • IPSAPIRONE • Ipsapironehydrochloride • Ismelin • Isoaminile • Isocodeine • • isoetharine •isoproterenol • ISOPROTERENOL HYDROCHLORIDE • Isoproterenol sulfate •Isospaglumic acid • Isothipendyl • isoxsuprine • Isoxsuprinehydrochloride • Itrop • Janimine • Jetrium tartrate • Kadian • Kerlone •Ketanserin • Ketanserin tartrate • Ketobemidone • Ketogan • ketotifen •KETOTIFEN FUMARATE • Kinichron • • Kytril • L 657743 • L-741,626 •labetalol • Labetalol hydrochloride • lafutidine •L-alpha-Acetyl-N-normethadol • Landiolol • lappaconitine • Lazabemide •Legatrin • Leoplexamin • l-Ephedrine • Lethidrone • Levacetylmethadol •Levallorphan • Levamfetamine • • Levcromakalim • Levetimide •LEVOBUNOLOL • Levobunolol•HCl • levocabastine • LEVOCABASTINEHYDROCHLORIDE • Levocetirizine • levodopa • • Levodropropizine •Levomeprazine • • Levomepromazine • • Levomethorphan • Levomethorphanhydrobromide • levorphanol • Levosalbutamol • Levospasme • Levsinex •LIDAMIDINE • LIDAMIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Lilly 53857 • l-Isoprenalinechloride • LISURIDE • • • lisuride maleate • • • L-Noradrenalinebitartrate • LODOXAMIDE TROMETHAMINE • Lofentanil • Lofentanil oxalate •Longifene • Lopac0_000714 • Lopac-A-164 • Lopac-C-130 • Lopressor •loratadine • Lorcet • Lotronex • loxapine • Loxapine hydrochloride •Loxapine succinate • Loxtidine • L-pentazocine • LSD tartrate •LUPITIDINE HYDROCHLORIDE • LY 235959 • LY 277359 maleate • Ly-165163 •Lysergide • Lysivane • • • Mabuterol • madopar • Malexil • maprotiline •Maprotiline hydrochloride • Marzine • Maxolon • mazindol • • Mci 9042 •Mcn 5652 • McN-A-343 • mCPBG • m-CPBG hydrochloride • MDL-100907 • MDMA• • mebeverine • MEBEVERINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Meclastine • meclizine •Meclizine hydrochloride • Meclizine Mixture With Niacin • Mecloprodine •Medetomidine • • Medetomidine hydrochloride • • MEDROXALOL • Medroxalolhydrochloride • Melevodopa • memantine • • MEMANTINE HYDROCHLORIDE • •meperidine • Mepindolol • Meptazinol • MEPTAZINOL HYDROCHLORIDE •mequitazine • Merital • mescaline • Mescomine • mesoridazine •Mesulergine • • • Mesulergine hydrochloride • • • Metabolites (street) •• metaproterenol • Metaproterenol hemisulfate • Metaraminol bitartrate •Metatsin • metergoline • • methacholine • Methacholine chloride •methadone • • Methadyl acetate • METHAMPHETAMINE • • Methamphetaminehydrochloride • • methantheline • methapyrilene • METHAPYRILENEHYDROCHLORIDE • Metharsinat • methiothepin • Methiothepin maleate •Methoctramine • Metholes • Methorphan • methoxamine • METHOXAMINEHYDROCHLORIDE • Methylatropine • methyldopa • METHYLDOPA SESQUIHYDRATE •Methylfurmetide • methyloctatropine bromide • methylphenidate •Methylscopolamine • methysergide • Methysergide maleate • METIAMIDE •Metipranolol • metoclopramide • Metoclopramide dihydrochloride •metoprolol • Metoprolol fumarate • mianserin • • • Mianserinhydrochloride • • • Mictonorm • Midaglizole • Midaglizole hydrochloride• midodrine • MIDODRINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Mifentidine • Milnacipran • •Minipress • Mintussin • Minusine • Mirapex • • mirtazapine • • Mivazerol• Mizolastine • MK-212 • MK-912 • M-Mptp • Mofegiline • Mofegilinehydrochloride • MONATEPIL MALEATE • morphine • Morphine hydrochloride •MORPHINE SULFATE • morphinesulfate • Mosapride • Mosapride citrate •Moxaverine • Moxisylyte • moxisylyte hydrochloride • MPTP • Muscarin •Myonal • Myophedrine • N,3-Dimethylmorphinan • Naaxia •N-acetylaspartylglutamate • N-Acetyl-Asp-Glu • nadolol • Nafadotride •nafronyl • Nafronyl oxalate • naftopidil • nalbuphine • Nalorphine •Nalorphine hydrochloride • naloxone • Naloxone hydrochloride • NAN-190hydrobromide • naphazoline • NAPHAZOLINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Naphazolinenitrate • Naphthisen • naratriptan • Nargoline • Narphen • Navaron •Nazasetron • NCGC00015261-01 • nchembio873-comp43 • nchembio873-comp53 •nchembio873-comp67 • Ncq 298 • Nebivolol • Nebracetam • Nebracetamfumarate • Nedeltran • nefopam • Nefopam hydrochloride • nemonapride •NEOSTIGMINE • neostigmine bromide • Neostigmine methyl sulfate •nicergoline • NIH-8805 • Nipradilol • Nisentil • nitrous oxide •nizatidine • N-Methylspiroperidol • Noleptan • Nomifensine •Norephedrine • norepinephrine • Norfenefrine • Norfenfloramine • Norflex• Norprolac • nortriptyline • Nortriptyline hydrochloride • NorzineAmpuls • Noscapalin • noscapine • Novopropoxyn • n-Propylapomorphine • •NSC10004 • • • NSC114335 • NSC289336 • NSC61391 • NSC61806 • • NSC69886• NSC79303 • Nubain • nylidrin • Nylidrin hydrochloride • Octatropine •octopamine • Oils, peppermint • olanzapine • Olopatadine • ondansetron •ONDANSETRON HYDROCHLORIDE • Opana • Opcon • Opipramol • Oprea1_021650 •Optimine • Orlaam • orphenadrine • Orphenadrine hydrochloride •Otenzepad • Otilonium Bromide • oxatomide • Oxeladin • oxidopamine •Oxifedrinum • oxitropium bromide • OXMETIDINE • Oxmetidine hydrochloride• Oxolamine • Oxolamine citrate • Oxotremorine • oxotremorine methiodide• oxprenolol • Oxprenolol hydrochloride • oxybutynin • Oxybutyninchloride • oxycodone • Oxycodone hydrochloride • oxymetazoline •oxymorphone • oxyphenonium • OXYPHENONIUM BROMIDE • ozagrel • ozagrelhydrochloride • Palfadonna • Palladone • Palonosetron • Palonosetronhydrochloride • Papaveretum • • PAPP • Paracodin • Paracymethadol •Parasan • Parlodel • • paroxetine • Paroxetine hydrochloride •Paroxetine maleate • Pataday • Paxil • PBPO • p-Chloramphetamine •Pemilaston • Pemirolast • penbutolol • PENFLURIDOL • Pentalgine •pentazocine • Peracon • Perazine maleate • pergolide • PERGOLIDEMESYLATE • Perhydrohistrionicotoxin • Periactin • • Pernazine •Pernovine • perphenazine • Pethidine hydrochloride • pFHHSiD •phenacetin • PHENAZOCINE • Phencarbamide • Phenindamine • pheniramine •PHENIRAMINE MALEATE • PHENOPERIDINE • Phenoperidine hydrochloride •Phenopropamine • Phenoxene • • phenoxybenzamine • Phenoxybenzaminehydrochloride • phentermine • phentolamine • Phentolamine mesylate •phenylbiguanide • phenylephrine • PHENYLEPHRINE HYDROCHLORIDE •phenylpropanolamine • PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE • HYDROCHLORIDE PHOLCODINE •Phospholine iodide • Picumast • Picumast dihydrochloride • pilocarpine •Pilocarpine- • Pilocarpine hydrochloride • Pilocarpine nitrate •Pilocarpine nitrate salt • pimozide • Pinaverium • pindolol • •Pipamperone • Pipazethate • Piperoxan • PIRBUTEROL • pirenzepine •Pirenzepine dihydrochloride • piribedil • • Piribedil hydrochloride • •Piribedil mesylate • • Piritramide • PIZOTYLINE • • Plegine • p-MPPI •Pnu 99194A • Pondimin • practolol • Pramipexol [Spanish] • • pramipexole• • prazosin • Prazosin hydrochloride • PRBCM • Precedex • Preclamol • •Preclamolum [Latin] • • Prednisolone 21-pivalate • Prenalterol •PRENYLAMINE • Prestwick_144 • Prialt • Privine • Prizidilol • PROCATEROL• procaterol hydrochloride • prochlorperazine • Prochlorperazinedimaleate • Prochlorperazine edisylate • Prochlorperazine maleate •procyclidine • Procyclidine hydrochloride • Progabide • Prolixin •promazine • PROMAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Promedol • promethazine •PROMETHAZINE HYDROCHLORIDE • propantheline • PROPANTHELINE BROMIDE •Propitan • Propiverine • propiverine hydrochloride • propranolol •Propranolol hydrochloride • Proroxan [INN] • Proscomide • Prothiaden •protopine • • PROTOPINE HYDROCHLORIDE • • protriptyline • Protriptylinehydrochloride • Proxicromil • Prozac • Psxeladine • Psychostyl •pyrilamine • PYRILAMINE MALEATE • Pyrroxane • Quadramet • Quifenadine •Quinagolide • Quinelorane • Quinidex • • quinidine • • • Quinidinesulfate • • Quinine • Quinine hydrochloride • quinine sulfate • QUININESULFATE DIHYDRATE • QUINPIROLE • quipazine • QUIPAZINE MALEATE •R(−)-Denopamine • R-50547 • RACLOPRIDE • Raclopride C11 • Raclopridum[Latin] • RACTOPAMINE • Ractopamine hydrochloride • Ramosetron •Ramosetron hydrochloride • ranitidine • Ranitidine bismuth citrate •ranitidine hydrochloride • Rapimine • Rauwolscine • Reboxetine •Reboxetine mesylate • Reboxetine mesylate hydrate • Redux • Reglan •Relaspium • REMIFENTANIL • REMIFENTANIL HYDROCHLORIDE • Remoxipride •REMOXIPRIDE HYDROCHLORIDE • Renzapride • Renzapride hydrochloride •repirinast • Reproterol • REPROTEROL HYDROCHLORIDE • reserpine •Respilene • Restenacht • Rexigen • Rexolate • Rilmenidine • Rilmenidinephosphate • Rimiterol • Rimiterol Hydrobromide • risperidone • •ritanserin • ritodrine • Ritodrine hydrochloride • rizatriptan •Rizatriptan benzoate • Ro 363 • Robinal • Robinul • Rociverine •ropinirole • • Ropinirole hydrochloride • • Rotenolone • Rotigotine • RS86, hydrobromide • RS 86HB • RS-25259-197 • RU 24969 • RU-24213 •S(−)Eticlopride hydrochloride • S-20500 • Salbutamol • Saligren •Salmeterol • salmeterol xinafoate • Samarium Sm 153 lexidronam •Sarpogrelate • Savella • • SB 206553 • Sch 23982 • Sch-23982 •scopolamine • scopolamine butylbromide • Scopolamine hydrobromide • Sdz205,557 • Secoverine • SECOVERINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Selecal • selegiline •Selegiline hydrochloride • Selozok • Serc • Serotone • serotonin •sertraline • Sertraline hydrochloride • Setoperone • Sgd 101-75 •Silomat • Sinemet • • SKF 38393 • SKF 38393 hydrochloride • SKF 81297 •Skf 83566 • SKF 91488 • SKF 91488 dihydrochloride • Sm-Edtmp •SMR000449272 • Snc80 • Solifenacin • Solifenacin succinate • Sordinol •sotalol • Sotalol hydrochloride • Soventol • Soventol (TN) • Soventolhydrochloride • Spasril • Spectrum_001815 • spiperone • Spiriva •Spiriva Handihaler • Spiroxatrine • SQ 10643 • SR 59230A • ST 91 • •Stadol • • Stelazine • stepholidine • STP (hallucinogen) • Strattera •subecholine • Suberyldicholine • SUFENTANIL • Sufentanil citrate •sulpiride • Sultopride • sultopride hydrochloride • sumatriptan •SUMATRIPTAN SUCCINATE • Suplatast Tosilate • Sympatholytin • Synephrine• T123_SIGMA • Tacrine • Tacrine hydrochloride • Tacrine hydrochloridehydrate • tageflar • Talacen • Talinolol • Talipexole • • Talwin •Talwin 50 • TAMSULOSIN • tandospirone citrate • Tbhpbo • TCMDC-125509 •Tegaserod maleate • Telenzepine • Teletux • TEMELASTINE • Tempium •Tenamfetamine • terazosin • Terazosin hydrochloride • terbutaline •TERBUTALINE HEMISULFATE • Terbutaline sulfate • terfenadine • terguride• Terodiline • TERODILINE HYDROCHLORIDE • Tersigat • TERTATOLOL •Tesmilifene • TETRABENAZINE • TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL • tetrahydropalmatine• • • Tetraspasmin-Lefa • TFMPP • Thecodinum • Thephorin hydrochloride •Theratuss • thiethylperazine • Thiethylperazine maleate • Thioperamide •thioridazine • Thioridazine hydrochloride • thiothixene • thonzylamine •THONZYLAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE • tiapride • TILIDINE • Tilisolol • timolol •Timolol hemihydrate • Timolol maleate • TIOTIDINE • Tiotixene •Tiotropium • TIOTROPIUM BROMIDE • TIPP • Tiropramide • tizanidine • •Tizanidine hydrochloride • • Tobanum • Tocodilydrin • tolazoline •Tolazoline hydrochloride • Tolcapone • tolfenamic acid • tolterodine •Tolterodine tartrate • Torecan • Tramadol • tramadol hydrochloride •tranilast • Traxanox • Traxanox sodium • trazodone • Trazodonehydrochloride • Tremblex • Tretoquinol • Tricodein • • trifluoperazine •Trifluoperazine dihydrochloride • Trifluperidol • triflupromazine •Triflupromazine hydrochloride • TRIMAZOSIN • trimebutine • Trimebutinemaleate • Trimeperidine • Trimethoquinol • trimipramine • Trimipraminemaleate • tripelennamine • Tripelennamine citrate • Tripelennaminehydrochloride • triprolidine • Triprolidine hydrochloride • tropicamide• Tropine tropate • tropisetron • TROPISETRON HCl • Tropyl3,5-dichlorobenzoate • trospium chloride • tulobuterol • Tulobuterolhydrochloride • Tuscodin • tyramine • Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-N-Methyl-Phe-Gly-ol• Tyr-tic-phe-phe-OH • UNII-7LG286J8GV • urapidil • • Uroxatral •Valoron • Vanoxeamine • Vanoxerine • venlafaxine • Ventipulmin •Ventolin • Verton • viloxazine • Viloxazine hydrochloride • Vistaril •Volinanserin • Vuf 9153 • Way 100635 • Way-100135 • Win-35428 •wortmannin • Wyamine sulfate • Xamoterol • Xamoterol hemifumarate •XANOMELINE • Xanomeline tartrate • xylamidine • Xylamidine tosylate •xylazine • Xylazine hydrochloride • Xyzall • Yohimbine • YOHIMBINEHYDROCHLORIDE • Zacopride • ZACOPRIDE HYDROCHLORIDE • ZATOSETRON •ZATOSETRON MALEATE • Zebeta • Zelmac • Zelnorm • Zeneca ZD7114 •Zetidoline • Zimeldine • Zimeldine hydrochloride • Zimelidine •Zimelidine dihydrochloride • ZINTEROL • ZINTEROL HYDROCHLORIDE •Zipeprol • Ziprasidone • • Ziprasidone hydrochloride • • Ziprasidonemesylate • • Zofran • Zolantidine • zolmitriptan • Zuclopenthixol •Zyrtec •

1. Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists

A muscarinic receptor is a G-protein coupled acetylcholine receptor.There are five known subtypes of muscarinic receptors: M₁ receptors, M₂receptors, M₃ receptors, M₄ receptors, and M₅ receptors. A muscarinicreceptor antagonist is an agent able to inhibit one or morecharacteristic responses of a muscarinic receptor or receptor subtype.As a non-limiting example, an antagonist may competitively ornon-competitively bind to (1) a muscarinic receptor, (2) an agonist orpartial agonist (or other ligand) of the muscarinic receptor, and/or (3)a downstream signaling molecule to inhibit the muscarinic receptor'sfunction. As shown in the Examples, benztropine, carbetapentane,clemastine, ipratropium, and atropine have been shown to antagonize thefunction of a muscarinic receptor and/or are known antagonists of amuscarinic receptor. Therefore, in some embodiments, the muscarinicreceptor antagonist is a compound selected from benztropine,carbetapentane, clemastine, ipratropium, atropine, and salts, prodrugs,racemic mixtures, conformational and/or optical isomers, crystallinepolymorphs, and isotopic variants thereof. Alternatively, any of themuscarinic receptor modulators listed in Table 1 can be used toantagonize a muscarinic receptor. Thus, in some embodiments, themuscarinic receptor antagonist is a muscarinic receptor modulatorcompound listed in Table 1. The compounds described in Table 1 arereadily available.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isbenztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate). In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isclemastine or a salt thereof (e.g., clemastine fumarate).

2. Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

A dopamine receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor, for which theneurotransmitter dopamine is the primary endogenous ligand. There arefive known subtypes of dopamine receptors: D₁ and D₅ receptors, theD₁-like receptors, activate adenylyl cyclase, while the D₂, D₃, and D₄receptors, the D₂-like receptors, inhibit adenylyl cyclase and activateK⁺ channels. A dopamine receptor antagonist is an agent able to inhibitone or more characteristic responses of a dopamine receptor or receptorsubtype. As a non-limiting example, an antagonist may competitively ornon-competitively bind to (1) a dopamine receptor, (2) an agonist orpartial agonist (or other ligand) of the dopamine receptor, and/or (3) adownstream signaling molecule to inhibit the dopamine receptor'sfunction. As shown in the Examples, benztropine, GBR12935, andtrifluoperazine have been shown to antagonize the function of a dopaminereceptor and/or are known antagonists of a dopamine receptor. Therefore,in some embodiments, the dopamine receptor antagonist is a compoundselected from benztropine, GBR12935, trifluoperazine, and salts,prodrugs, racemic mixtures, conformational and/or optical isomers,crystalline polymorphs, and isotopic variants thereof. Alternatively,any of the dopamine receptor modulators listed in Table 1 can be used toantagonize a dopamine receptor. Thus, in some embodiments, the dopaminereceptor antagonist is a dopamine receptor modulator compound listed inTable 1. The compounds described in Table 1 are readily available.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isbenztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate). In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent istrifluoperazine or a salt thereof (e.g., trifluoperazine hydrochloride).

3. Histamine Receptor Antagonists

A histamine receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor, for which theneurotransmitter histamine is the primary endogenous ligand. There arefour known subtypes of histamine receptors: H₁ receptors, H₂ receptors,H₃ receptors, and H₄ receptors. A histamine receptor antagonist is anagent able to inhibit one or more characteristic responses of ahistamine receptor or receptor subtype. As a non-limiting example, anantagonist may competitively or non-competitively bind to (1) ahistamine receptor, (2) an agonist or partial agonist (or other ligand)of the histamine receptor, and/or (3) a downstream signaling molecule toinhibit the histamine receptor's function. As shown in the Examples,clemastine has been shown to antagonize the function of a histaminereceptor. Therefore, in some embodiments, the histamine receptorantagonist is clemastine or a salt, prodrug, racemic mixture,conformational and/or optical isomer, crystalline polymorph, or isotopicvariant thereof. Alternatively, any of the histamine receptor modulatorslisted in Table 1 can be used to antagonize a histamine receptor. Thus,in some embodiments, the histamine receptor antagonist is a histaminereceptor modulator compound listed in Table 1. The compounds describedin Table 1 are readily available.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isclemastine or a salt thereof (e.g., clemastine fumarate).

4. Beta Adrenergic Receptor Modulators

A beta adrenergic receptor is a subtype of the adrenergic receptor, aG-protein coupled receptor, for which catecholamines (e.g., epinephrineand norepinephrine) are the primary endogenous ligand. There are threeknown subtypes of beta adrenergic receptors: β₁ receptors, β₂ receptors,and β₃ receptors. A beta adrenergic receptor antagonist is an agent ableto inhibit one or more characteristic responses of a beta adrenergicreceptor or receptor subtype. As a non-limiting example, an antagonistmay competitively or non-competitively bind to (1) a beta adrenergicreceptor, (2) an agonist or partial agonist (or other ligand) of thebeta adrenergic receptor, and/or (3) a downstream signaling molecule toinhibit the beta adrenergic receptor's function. As a non-limitingexample, pindolol is able to antagonize the function of a betaadrenergic receptor. A beta adrenergic receptor agonist is an agent ableto induce or stimulate one or more characteristic responses of a betaadrenergic receptor or receptor subtype. As shown in the Examples,pindolol, salmeterol, salbutamol, and albuterol have been shown toagonize the function of a beta adrenergic receptor and/or are knownagonists of a beta adrenergic receptor. Therefore, in some embodiments,the beta adrenergic receptor modulator is a compound selected frompindolol, salmeterol, salbutamol, albuterol, and salts, prodrugs,racemic mixtures, conformational and/or optical isomers, crystallinepolymorphs, and isotopic variants thereof. Alternatively, any of thebeta adrenergic receptor modulators listed in Table 1 can be used tomodulate a beta adrenergic receptor. Thus, in some embodiments, the betaadrenergic receptor modulator is a beta adrenergic receptor modulatorcompound listed in Table 1. The compounds described in Table 1 arereadily available.

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent issalmeterol or a salt thereof (e.g., salmeterol xinfoate). In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent issalbutamol or a salt thereof (e.g., salbutamol hemisulfate).

5. Opioid Receptor Modulators

An opioid receptor is a G-protein coupled receptor, for which opioidsare the primary endogenous ligand. An opioid receptor antagonist is anagent able to inhibit one or more characteristic responses of an opioidreceptor or receptor subtype. As a non-limiting example, an antagonistmay competitively or non-competitively bind to (1) an opioid receptor,(2) an agonist or partial agonist (or other ligand) of a receptor,and/or (3) a downstream signaling molecule to inhibit a receptor'sfunction. An opioid receptor agonist is an agent able to induce orstimulate one or more characteristic responses of an opioid receptor orreceptor subtype. For example, an agonist may activate an opioidreceptor. As shown in the Examples, carbetapentane, Snc-80, and BD-1047have been shown to modulate the function of an opioid receptor.Therefore, in some embodiments, the opioid receptor antagonist is acompound selected from carbetapentane, Snc-80, BD-1047, and salts,prodrugs, racemic mixtures, conformational and/or optical isomers,crystalline polymorphs, and isotopic variants thereof. Alternatively,any of the opioid receptor modulators listed in Table 1 can be used tomodulate an opioid receptor. Thus, in some embodiments, the opioidreceptor modulator is an opioid receptor modulator compound listed inTable 1. The compounds described in Table 1 are readily available.

B. Identification of Modulating Agents

A number of different screening protocols can be utilized to identifyagents that stimulate increased myelination of nerves. In general terms,the screening methods involve screening a plurality of agents toidentify an agent that increases the number of cells in a sample havinga differentiated, myelinating cell fate (e.g., mature myelinatingoligodendrocyte). In some embodiments, an agent promotes or increasesOPC differentiation when it increases the percentage of OPCs (e.g., in asample comprising a plurality of OPCs) that differentiate to a maturemyelinating cell fate by at least about 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%,40%, 50%, or more as compared to the percentage of OPCs thatdifferentiate to a mature myelinating cell fate in the absence of theagent.

1. Marker Assays

In some embodiments, agents that stimulate increased myelination ofnerves are identified by screening for induction of markers of maturemyelinating oligodendrocytes. In some embodiments, samples comprising aplurality of OPCs are contacted with a candidate agent, incubated underconditions suitable for the differentiation of OPCs, and evaluated forthe presence or absence of one or more markers of mature myelinatingoligodendrocytes. Examples of markers of mature myelinatingoligodendrocytes include, but are not limited to, myelin basic protein(MBP), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), 2′3′-cyclic-nucleotide3′ phosphodiesterase (CNP), GalC, O1, or O4.

Markers of mature myelinating oligodendrocytes can be detected using anynumber of established analytical techniques. For example, detection canbe accomplished by detecting nucleic acid (e.g., by in situhybridization or RT-PCR) or protein (e.g., by immunoassay or Westernblot analysis) levels, followed by visualization and/or quanitificationusing any one of a variety of methods known in the art. In someembodiments, a marker of mature myelinating oligodendrocytes is detectedby in situ hybridization. In situ hybridization techniques are generallydescribed in In Situ Hybridization: A Practical Approach (Wilkinson, D.G., ed.), Oxford University Press, 1992. In some embodiments, a markerof mature myelinating oligodendrocytes is detected by immunoassay.Immunoassay techniques and protocols are generally described in Priceand Newman, “Principles and Practice of Immunoassay,” 2nd Edition,Grove's Dictionaries, 1997; and Gosling, “Immunoassays: A PracticalApproach,” Oxford University Press, 2000. In some embodiments, theimmunoassay is an immunofluorescence assay.

A detectable moiety can be used in the assays described herein. A widevariety of detectable moieties can be used, with the choice of labeldepending on the sensitivity required, ease of conjugation with theantibody, stability requirements, and available instrumentation anddisposal provisions. Suitable detectable moieties include, but are notlimited to, radionuclides, fluorescent dyes (e.g., fluorescein,fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), Oregon Green™, rhodamine, Texas red,tetrarhodimine isothiocynate (TRITC), Cy3, Cy5, etc.), fluorescentmarkers (e.g., green fluorescent protein (GFP), phycoerythrin, etc.),autoquenched fluorescent compounds that are activated bytumor-associated proteases, enzymes (e.g., luciferase, horseradishperoxidase, alkaline phosphatase, etc.), nanoparticles, biotin,digoxigenin, and the like.

2. Cells and Reagents

The primary screens for identifying agents that induce OPCdifferentiation and/or stimulate increased myelination of nerves can beperformed in cell-based assays using cultured OPC cell lines or OPCsderived from a subject (e.g., from a mammal).

OPCs can be derived from any of a variety of sources. In someembodiments, OPCs are harvested from a tissue, for example, braintissue, spinal cord tissue, or optic nerve tissue. The tissue can befrom a rodent (e.g., rat or mouse), chicken, dog, cat, rabbit, cow,sheep, goat, or primate (e.g., a monkey, a chimpanzee, or a human). Insome embodiments, OPCs are derived from fetal tissue. In someembodiments, OPCs are derived from adult tissue. Alternatively, OPCs canbe derived from culturing stem cells (e.g., neural stem cells orembryonic stem cells) or from other cells that can be induced to giverise to OPCs (e.g., bone marrow stromal cells).

Examples of conditions suitable for OPC differentiation are described inthe Examples section below. Cell culture conditions are described inmore detail, e.g., in Picot, Human Cell Culture Protocols (Methods inMolecular Medicine) 2010 ed., and in Davis, Basic Cell Culture 2002 ed.OPCs are cultured with growth factor, for example, PDGFαα. As anon-limiting example, OPCs are proliferated in culture on poly-D-Lysinecoated cell culture dishes using OPC media (Neurobasal media, B27supplement without vitamin A, non-essential amino acids) containing 30ng/mL PDGFαα. For differentiation, OPCs are seeded on poly-D-Lysinecoated cell culture dishes using OPC media containing 2 ng/mL PDGFαα andtreated with compounds dissolved in DMSO (<1% final concentration).Differentiating OPCs are incubated at 37° C., 5% CO₂ for 6 days. At theend of 6 days, cells are fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde forimmunofluorescence analysis or are harvested for biochemical analysis.

3. Candidate Agents

The agents that are screened for the ability to promote OPCdifferentiation can be any small chemical compound, or a biologicalentity, such as a polypeptide, sugar, nucleic acid or lipid. Typically,test compounds will be small chemical molecules and peptides.Essentially any chemical compound can be used as a potential modulatoror ligand in the assays of the invention, although most often compoundsthat can be dissolved in aqueous or organic (especially DMSO-based)solutions are used. The assays are designed to screen large chemicallibraries by automating the assay steps and providing compounds from anyconvenient source to assays, which are typically run in parallel (e.g.,in microtiter formats on microtiter plates in robotic assays). It willbe appreciated that there are many suppliers of chemical compounds,including Sigma (St. Louis, Mo.), Aldrich (St. Louis, Mo.),Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, Mo.), Fluka Chemika-Biochemica Analytika(Buchs, Switzerland) and the like.

In some embodiments, the agents have a molecular weight of less than1,500 daltons, and in some cases less than 1,000, 800, 600, 500, or 400daltons. The relatively small size of the agents can be desirablebecause smaller molecules have a higher likelihood of havingphysiochemical properties compatible with good pharmacokineticcharacteristics, including oral absorption than agents with highermolecular weight. For example, agents less likely to be successful asdrugs based on permeability and solubility were described by Lipinski etal. as follows: having more than 5 H-bond donors (expressed as the sumof OHs and NHs); having a molecular weight over 500; having a LogP over5 (or MLogP over 4.15); and/or having more than 10 H-bond acceptors(expressed as the sum of Ns and Os). See, e.g., Lipinski et al., AdvDrug Delivery Res 23:3-25 (1997). Compound classes that are substratesfor biological transporters are typically exceptions to the rule.

In some embodiments, the agents are from a combinatorial chemical orpeptide library containing a large number of potential therapeuticcompounds (potential modulator or ligand compounds). Such “combinatorialchemical libraries” or “ligand libraries” are then screened in one ormore assays, as described herein, to identify those library members(particular chemical species or subclasses) that display a desiredcharacteristic activity. The compounds thus identified can serve asconventional “lead compounds” or can themselves be used as potential oractual therapeutics.

A combinatorial chemical library is a collection of diverse chemicalcompounds generated by either chemical synthesis or biologicalsynthesis, by combining a number of chemical “building blocks.” Forexample, a linear combinatorial chemical library such as a polypeptidelibrary is formed by combining a set of chemical building blocks (aminoacids) in every possible way for a given compound length (i.e., thenumber of amino acids in a polypeptide compound). Millions of chemicalcompounds can be synthesized through such combinatorial mixing ofchemical building blocks.

Preparation and screening of combinatorial chemical libraries is wellknown to those of skill in the art. Such combinatorial chemicallibraries include, but are not limited to, peptide libraries (see, e.g.,U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,175, Furka, Int. J. Pept. Prot. Res. 37:487-493(1991) and Houghton et al., Nature 354:84-88 (1991)). Other chemistriesfor generating chemical diversity libraries can also be used. Suchchemistries include, but are not limited to: peptoids (e.g., PCTPublication No. WO 91/19735), encoded peptides (e.g., PCT Publication WO93/20242), random bio-oligomers (e.g., PCT Publication No. WO 92/00091),benzodiazepines (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,514), diversomers such ashydantoins, benzodiazepines and dipeptides (Hobbs et al., Proc. Nat.Acad. Sci. USA 90:6909-6913 (1993)), vinylogous polypeptides (Hagiharaet al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 114:6568 (1992)), nonpeptidalpeptidomimetics with glucose scaffolding (Hirschmann et al., J. Amer.Chem. Soc. 114:9217-9218 (1992)), analogous organic syntheses of smallcompound libraries (Chen et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 116:2661 (1994)),oligocarbamates (Cho et al., Science 261:1303 (1993)), and/or peptidylphosphonates (Campbell et al., J. Org. Chem. 59:658 (1994)), nucleicacid libraries (see Ausubel, Berger and Sambrook, all supra), peptidenucleic acid libraries (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,083), antibodylibraries (see, e.g., Vaughn et al., Nature Biotechnology, 14(3):309-3141522 (1996) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,853), small organic moleculelibraries (see, e.g., benzodiazepines, Baum C&EN, January 18, page 33(1993); isoprenoids, U.S. Pat. No. 5,569,588; thiazolidinones andmetathiazanones, U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,974; pyrrolidines, U.S. Pat. Nos.5,525,735 and 5,519,134; morpholino compounds, U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,337;benzodiazepines, U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,514, and the like).

Devices for the preparation of combinatorial libraries are commerciallyavailable (see, e.g., 357 MPS, 390 MPS, Advanced Chem Tech, LouisvilleKy., Symphony, Rainin, Woburn, Mass., 433A Applied Biosystems, FosterCity, Calif., 9050 Plus, Millipore, Bedford, Mass.). In addition,numerous combinatorial libraries are themselves commercially available(see, e.g., ComGenex, Princeton, N.J., Tripos, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., 3DPharmaceuticals, Exton, Pa., Martek Biosciences, Columbia, Md., etc.).

In some embodiments, candidate agents are able to penetrate theblood-brain barrier. In some embodiments, candidate agents have a lowmolecular weight (i.e., a molecular weight of no more than 800 kDa). Insome embodiments, candidate agents are screened for one or more othercriteria, such as toxicity or brain pharmacokinetics.

4. Validation

Agents that are initially identified by any of the foregoing screeningmethods can be further tested to validate the apparent activity. In someembodiments, validation assays are in vitro assays. In some embodiments,such studies are conducted with suitable animal models. The basic formatof such methods involves administering a lead compound identified duringan initial screen to an animal that serves as a disease model for humansand then determining if the disease (e.g., a demyelinating disease) isin fact modulated and/or the disease or condition is ameliorated. Theanimal models utilized in validation studies generally are mammals ofany kind Specific examples of suitable animals include, but are notlimited to, primates, mice, rats and zebrafish.

III. Methods Using Neurotransmitter Receptor Modulating Agents

The neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents described herein can beused in various therapeutic and/or prophylactic methods. In one aspect,the present invention provides methods of inducing oligodendrocyteprecursor cell (OPC) differentiation to a mature myelinating cell fate(e.g., myelinating oligodendrocytes). In some embodiments, the methodcomprises contacting the OPC with a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent as described herein and culturing the OPC under conditionssuitable for OPC differentiation. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is selected from a muscarinicreceptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histaminereceptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioidreceptor modulator. In some embodiments, the OPC is cultured in thepresence of the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent for at least2 days, at least 3 days, at least 4 days, at least 5 days, at least 6days or longer under conditions suitable for OPC differentiation.Differentiation to a mature myelinating cell fate can be determined bydetecting the presence of one or more biological markers of maturemyelinating oligodendrocytes. Marker assays for detecting the presenceor level of myelinating oligodendrocytes are described herein, forexample in Section II(B) above.

In another aspect, the present invention provides methods of stimulatingincreased myelination of nerves in a subject in need thereof. In someembodiments, the method comprises administering to the subject aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent as described herein; therebystimulating increased myelination of nerves in the subject. In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is acompound selected from a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopaminereceptor antagonist, a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergicreceptor modulator, and an opioid receptor modulator.

In some embodiments, a subject in need of a method of stimulatingincreased myelination of nerves is a subject having a demyelinatingdisease. Thus, in yet another aspect, the present invention providesmethods of treating and/or ameliorating a subject having a demyelinatingdisease. In some embodiments, a subject in need of a method ofstimulating increased myelination of nerves is a subject at risk ofhaving a demyelinating disease. Thus, in yet another aspect, the presentinvention provides methods of preventing a demyelinating disease ordelaying the occurrence of a demyelinating disease.

In some embodiments, the method comprises administering to the subject aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent selected from a muscarinicreceptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histaminereceptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioidreceptor modulator. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent is a compound listed in Table 1 (e.g., a muscarinicreceptor modulator compound, dopamine receptor modulator compound,histamine receptor modulator compound, beta adrenergic receptormodulator compound, or opioid receptor modulator compound listed inTable 1). In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent is benztropine, cerbetapentane, clemastine, pindolol, ipratropium,atropine, GBR12935, Snc-80, BD-1047, salmeterol, albuterol, ortrifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isbenztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate).

In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis,idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, transverse myelitis,Devic's disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, opticneuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatorydemyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis,adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary opticneuropathy, or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-associatedmyelopathy.

In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis(MS). There are several subtypes of MS, including relapsing-remittingmultiple sclerosis (RRMS), secondary progressive multiple sclerosis(SPMS), primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), and progressiverelapsing multiple sclerosis (PRMS). In some embodiments, the subjecthas RRMS. In some embodiments, the subject has SPMS. In someembodiments, the subject has PPMS. In some embodiments, the subject hasPRMS. A subject may initially be diagnosed as having one subtype of MS(e.g., RRMS), and subsequently the subtype of MS afflicting the subjectmay convert to another subtype of MS (e.g., from RRMS to SPMS). It iscontemplated that the methods of the present invention can be applied totreat a subject whose subtype of MS converts to another subtype of MS.

In some embodiments, a subject in need thereof (e.g., a subject having ademyelinating disease or at risk for having a demyelinating disease) isadministered a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent in combinationwith at least one other therapy. In some embodiments, the at least oneother therapy is an immunomodulatory agent. As used herein, an“immunomodulatory agent” refers to a disease-modifying drug which altersthe course of a demyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis,idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, transverse myelitis,Devic's disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, opticneuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatorydemyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis,adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary opticneuropathy, or HTLV-associated myelopathy).

In some embodiments, an immunomodulatory agent is a disease-modifyingdrug that alters the course of multiple sclerosis (e.g., RRMS, SPMS,PPMS, or PRMS). For example, a disease-modifying drug can reduce thefrequency or severity of an MS relapse and/or reduce development oflesions or scars at regions of demyelination. In some embodiments, animmunomodulatory agent is an immunosuppressant (i.e., an agent thatsuppresses or prevents an immune response). In some embodiments, animmunomodulatory agent is an agent that modulates an immune response(e.g., by stimulating the induction of suppressor T cells). Examples ofimmunomodulatory agents for the treatment of MS include, but are notlimited to, interferons (e.g., interferon-β, e.g., interferon beta-1a orinterferon beta-1b), glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, fingolimod(FTY720), or monoclonal antibodies (e.g., natalizumab, rituximab,daclizumab, or alemtuzumab). Thus, in some embodiments, the method ofthe present invention comprises administering to a subject having MS aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g., a compound selectedfrom a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor antagonist,and an opioid receptor modulator) in combination with fingolimod(FTY720), interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, natalizumab, rituximab, daclizumab, or alemtuzumab.

In another aspect, the present invention provides methods of enhancingthe therapeutic effect of an immunomodulatory agent in a subject in needthereof. It has been surprisingly found that in mouse models ofdemyelinating disease, administering a combination of a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent and an immunomodulatory agent results in asignificantly larger decrease in the clinical severity of thedemyelinating disease as compared to the decrease in the clinicalseverity of the demyelinating disease that can be achieved with eitherthe neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent or the immunomodulatoryagent alone. Thus, in some embodiments, the method comprisesadministering to a subject an immunomodulatory agent and aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; thereby enhancing thetherapeutic effect of the immunomodulatory agent in the subject. In someembodiments, the subject has a demyelinating disease or is at risk ofhaving a demyelinating disease.

Furthermore, it has also surprisingly been found that administering aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent, in combination with animmunomodulatory agent at a dose that, on its own, is insufficient to betherapeutic for the treatment of a demyelinating disease, results in atherapeutic effect that is greater than the therapeutic effect fromadministering each agent alone. Thus, in another aspect, the presentinvention provides methods of treating a subject in need thereof byadministering an immunomodulatory agent and a neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent, wherein the immunomodulatory agent is administered ata subtherapeutic dose. In some embodiments, the subject has ademyelinating disease or is at risk of having a demyelinating disease.

In some embodiments, the demyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis,idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, transverse myelitis,Devic's disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, opticneuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatorydemyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy,

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis,adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary opticneuropathy, or HTLV-associated myelopathy. In some embodiments, thedemyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis, e.g., relapsing-remittingmultiple sclerosis (RRMS), secondary progressive multiple sclerosis(SPMS), primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), or progressiverelapsing multiple sclerosis (PRMS). In some embodiments, the subject isinitially diagnosed as having one subtype of MS (e.g., RRMS), andsubsequently the subtype of MS afflicting the subject converts toanother subtype of MS (e.g., from RRMS to SPMS).

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isselected from a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptorantagonist, a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptormodulator, and an opioid receptor modulator, and the immunomodulatoryagent is selected from fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, natalizumab,rituximab, daclizumab, and alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is a muscarinic receptormodulator compound, a dopamine receptor modulator compound, a histaminereceptor modulator compound, a beta adrenergic receptor modulatorcompound, or an opioid receptor modulator compound listed in Table 1,and the immunosuppressant is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, natalizumab,rituximab, daclizumab, or alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, or trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof, and theimmunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, natalizumab,rituximab, daclizumab, or alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine and theimmunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a, orinterferon beta-1b.

Therapeutic doses for the immunomodulatory agents fingolimod (FTY720),interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, and natalizumab are known in the art. See, e.g., Kappos etal., N Engl J Med 362:387-401 (2010); Cohen et al., N Engl J Med362:402-15 (2010); Gottesman et al., Mult Scler 12:271-80 (2006);Hurwitz et al., Clin Ther 30:1102-12 (2008); Gaindh et al., Expert OpinBiol Ther 8:1823-29 (2008); Koch-Henriksen et al., Neurology 66:1056-60(2006); Benatar, Lancet 360:1428 (2008); Jacobs et al., Ann Neurol39:285-94 (1996); Lancet 352:1498-1504 (1998); Johnson et al., Neurology45:1268-76 (1995); Johnson et al., Neurology 50:701-08 (1998); Comi etal., Ann Neurol. 69:75-82 (2011); Calabresi Nat Clin Pract Neurol3:540-1 (2007); and Polman et al., N Engl J Med 354:899-910 (2006); thecontents of each of which are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

In some embodiments, the immunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod,interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at a therapeuticallyeffective dose. In some embodiments, the immunomodulatory agent (e.g.,fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at a subtherapeutic dose,e.g., at a dose that is less than about 75%, less than about 70%, lessthan about 60%, less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less thanabout 30%, less than about 25%, less than about 20%, less than about15%, less than about 10%, or less than about 5% of the dose that isconventionally administered for the immunomodulatory agent.

Fingolimod (FTY720) is conventionally administered at a therapeuticallyeffective dose of from about 0.5 mg per day to about 1.5 mg per day(e.g., about 0.5, about 0.6, about 0.7, about 0.8, about 0.9, about 1.0,about 1.1, about 1.2, about 1.3, about 1.4, or about 1.5 mg per day).See, e.g., Kappos et al., N Engl J Med 362:387-401 (2010). Thus, in someembodiments, a subtherapeutic dose of fingolimod is from about 0.005 mgper day to about 0.375 mg per day (e.g., about 0.005, about 0.01, about0.02, about 0.03, about 0.04, about 0.05, about 0.06, about 0.07, about0.08, about 0.09, about 0.1, about 0.15, about 0.2, about 0.25, about0.3, about 0.35, or about 0.375 mg per day).

Interferon beta-1a is conventionally administered at a therapeuticallyeffective dose of about 30 μg per week. See e.g., Jacobs et al., AnnNeurol 39:285-94 (1996). Thus, in some embodiments, a subtherapeuticdose of interferon beta-1a is from about 0.3 μg per week to about 23 μgper week (e.g., about 0.3, about 0.5, about 0.75, about 1, about 2,about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9, about 10,about 11, about 12, about 13, about 14, about 15, about 16, about 17,about 18, about 19, about 20, about 21, about 22, or about 23 μg perweek).

Interferon beta-1b is conventionally administered at a therapeuticallyeffective dose of from about 250 μg every other day to about 500 μgevery other day. See, e.g., Gottesman et al., Mult Scler 12:271-80(2006). Thus, in some embodiments, a subtherapeutic dose of interferonbeta-1b is from about 2 μg every other day to about 190 μg every otherday (e.g., about 2, about 5, about 10, about 20, about 30, about 40,about 50, about 60, about 70, about 80, about 90, about 100, about 110,about 120, about 130, about 140, about 150, about 160, about 170, about180, or about 190 μg every other day).

In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent(e.g., a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist,a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator,or an opioid receptor modulator listed in Table 1) is administered at atherapeutically effective dose. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g., muscarinic receptorantagonist, dopamine receptor antagonist, histamine receptor antagonist,beta adrenergic receptor modulator, or opioid receptor modulator listedin Table 1) is administered at a subtherapeutic dose, e.g., at a dosethat is less than about 75%, less than about 70%, less than about 60%,less than about 50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less thanabout 25%, less than about 20%, less than about 15%, less than about10%, or less than about 5% of the dose that is conventionallyadministered for the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent. In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent that isadministered at a therapeutically effective dose or at a subtherapeuticdose is benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol,trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent that is administered at atherapeutically effective dose or at a subtherapeutic dose isbenztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate). As anon-limiting example, a therapeutically effective dose of benztropinemay be from about 1 mg per day to about 10 mg per day (e.g., about 1,about 2, about 3, about 4, about 5, about 6, about 7, about 8, about 9,or about 10 mg per day). Thus, in some embodiments, a subtherapeuticdose of benztropine may be from about 0.01 mg per day to about 0.75 mgper day (e.g., about 0.01, about 0.05, about 0.10, about 0.015, about0.20, about 0.25, about 0.30, about 0.35, about 0.40, about 0.45, about0.50, about 0.55, about 0.60, about 0.65, about 0.70, or about 0.75 mgper day).

In some embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g.,a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, oran opioid receptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine,clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof)is administered at a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferonbeta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) isadministered at a therapeutically effective dose. In some embodiments,the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine or a saltthereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate) and the immunomodulatory agent isfingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b. In someembodiments, benztropine is administered at a therapeutically effectivedose of from about 1 mg per day to about 10 mg per day; fingolimod isadministered at a therapeutically effective dose of from about 0.5 mgper day to about 1.5 mg per day; interferon beta-1a is administered at atherapeutically effective dose of about 30 μg per week; and/orinterferon beta-1b is administered at a therapeutically effective doseof from about 250 μg every other day to about 500 μg every other day.

In some embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g.,a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, oran opioid receptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine,clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof)is administered at a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferonbeta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose, e.g., at a dose that is less thanabout 75%, less than about 70%, less than about 60%, less than about50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, lessthan about 20%, less than about 15%, less than about 10%, or less thanabout 5% of the dose that is conventionally administered for theimmunomodulatory agent. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is benztropine or a salt thereof (e.g.,benztropine mesylate) and the immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod(FTY720), interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b. In someembodiments, benztropine is administered at a therapeutically effectivedose of from about 1 mg per day to about 10 mg per day; fingolimod isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose of from about 0.005 mg per day toabout 0.375 mg per day; interferon beta-1a is administered at asubtherapeutic dose of from about 0.3 μg per week to about 23 μg perweek; and/or interferon beta-1b is administered at a subtherapeutic doseof from about 2 μg every other day to about 190 μg every other day.

In some embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g.,muscarinic receptor antagonist, dopamine receptor antagonist, histaminereceptor antagonist, beta adrenergic receptor modulator, or opioidreceptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof) isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose, e.g., at a dose that is less thanabout 75%, less than about 70%, less than about 60%, less than about50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, lessthan about 20%, less than about 15%, less than about 10%, or less thanabout 5% of the dose that is conventionally administered for theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent, and an immunomodulatoryagent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b,glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at atherapeutically effective dose. In some embodiments, theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is benztropine or a saltthereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate) and the immunomodulatory agent isfingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a, or interferon beta-1b. In someembodiments, bentropine is administered at a subtherapeutic dose of fromabout 0.01 mg per day to about 0.75 mg per day; fingolimod isadministered at a therapeutically effective dose of from about 0.5 mgper day to about 1.5 mg per day; interferon beta-1a is administered at atherapeutically effective dose of about 30 μg per week; and/orinterferon beta-1b is administered at a therapeutically effective doseof from about 250 μg every other day to about 500 μg every other day.

In some embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g.,muscarinic receptor antagonist, dopamine receptor antagonist, histaminereceptor antagonist, beta adrenergic receptor modulator, or opioidreceptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof) isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose, e.g., at a dose that is less thanabout 75%, less than about 70%, less than about 60%, less than about50%, less than about 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, lessthan about 20%, less than about 15%, less than about 10%, or less thanabout 5% of the dose that is conventionally administered for theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent, and an immunomodulatoryagent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b,glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at asubtherapeutic dose, e.g., at a dose that is less than about 75%, lessthan about 70%, less than about 60%, less than about 50%, less thanabout 40%, less than about 30%, less than about 25%, less than about20%, less than about 15%, less than about 10%, or less than about 5% ofthe dose that is conventionally administered for the immunomodulatoryagent. In some embodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent is benztropine or a salt thereof (e.g., benztropine mesylate) andthe immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,or interferon beta-1b. In some embodiments, bentropine is administeredat a subtherapeutic dose of from about 0.01 mg per day to about 0.75 mgper day; fingolimod is administered at a subtherapeutic dose of fromabout 0.005 mg per day to about 0.375 mg per day; interferon beta-1a isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose of from about 0.3 μg per week toabout 23 μg per week; and/or interferon beta-1b is administered at asubtherapeutic dose of from about 2 μg every other day to about 190 μgevery other day.

In some embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g.,a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, oran opioid receptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine,clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof)is administered at a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferonbeta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) isadministered at a therapeutically effective dose for the treatment orprevention of a demyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis). Insome embodiments, a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g., amuscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, ahistamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, oran opioid receptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine,clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof)is administered at a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferonbeta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose for the treatment or prevention ofa demyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis). In some embodiments,a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g., a muscarinicreceptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histaminereceptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, or an opioidreceptor modulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof) isadministered at a subtherapeutic dose and an immunomodulatory agent(e.g., fingolimod, interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatirameracetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at atherapeutically effective dose for the treatment or prevention of ademyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis). In some embodiments, aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent (e.g., a muscarinic receptorantagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histamine receptorantagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, or an opioid receptormodulator listed in Table 1, e.g., benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol,salbutamol, trifluoperazine, or a salt thereof) is administered at asubtherapeutic dose and an immunomodulatory agent (e.g., fingolimod,interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab) is administered at a subtherapeutic dosefor the treatment or prevention of a demyelinating disease (e.g.,multiple sclerosis).

IV. Pharmaceutical Compositions

In another aspect, the present invention provides pharmaceuticalcompositions for use in the treatment of a demyelinating disease (e.g.,multiple sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease,transverse myelitis, Devic's disease, progressive multifocalleukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barresyndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmuneperipheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminatedencephalomyelitis, adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber'shereditary optic neuropathy, or human T-cell lymphotropic virus(HTLV)-associated myelopathy). In some embodiments, the compositioncomprises a mixture of a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent andan immunomodulatory agent. In some embodiments, the pharmaceuticalcomposition comprises a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agentselected from a muscarinic receptor antagonist, a dopamine receptorantagonist, a histamine receptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptormodulator, and an opioid receptor modulator and an immunomodulatoryagent selected from interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatirameracetate, mitoxantrone, fingolimod (FTY720), natalizumab, rituximab,daclizumab, and alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, the pharmaceuticalcomposition comprises a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agentselected from benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol,trifluoperazine, and salts thereof and an immunomodulatory agentselected from interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatirameracetate, mitoxantrone, fingolimod (FTY720), natalizumab, rituximab,daclizumab, and alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, the pharmaceuticalcomposition comprises benztropine or a salt thereof and animmunomodulatory agent selected from interferon beta-1a, interferonbeta-1b, and fingolimod (FTY720).

In some embodiments, one or both of the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent and the immunomodulatory agent are formulated as atherapeutically effective or optimal dose. In some embodiments, one orboth of the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and theimmunomodulatory agent are formulated as a subtherapeutic dose. In someembodiments, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isformulated as a therapeutically effective or optimal dose and theimmunomodulatory agent is formulated as a subtherapeutic dose. In someembodiments, the immunomodulatory agent is formulated as atherapeutically effective or optimal dose and the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is formulated as a subtherapeutic dose.Suitable dosage ranges for therapeutically effective and subtherapeuticdoses of neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents andimmunomodulatory agents are described above.

An agent for use in any of the therapeutic methods of the presentinvention (e.g., an agent that stimulates increased myelination asdescribed herein, or an immunomodulatory agent as described herein) maybe in any pharmaceutically acceptable form, including anypharmaceutically acceptable salts, prodrugs, racemic mixtures,conformational and/or optical isomers, crystalline polymorphs andisotopic variants of the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents.

A combination of a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and animmunomodulatory agent can be incorporated into a variety offormulations for therapeutic or prophylactic administration. Moreparticularly, a combination of a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent and an immunomodulatory agent can be formulated intopharmaceutical compositions, e.g., a single composition, by formulationwith appropriate pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or diluents, andcan be formulated into preparations in solid, semi-solid, liquid orgaseous forms, such as tablets, capsules, pills, powders, granules,dragees, gels, slurries, ointments, solutions, suppositories,injections, inhalants and aerosols. As such, administration of an agentof the present invention can be achieved in various ways, includingoral, buccal, parenteral, intravenous, intradermal (e.g., subcutaneous,intramuscular), transdermal, etc., administration. Moreover, the agentcan be administered in a local rather than systemic manner, for example,in a depot or sustained release formulation.

Formulations

Suitable formulations for use in the present invention are found inRemington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 21st Ed., Gennaro, Ed.,Lippencott Williams & Wilkins (2003), which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. The pharmaceutical compositions described hereincan be manufactured in a manner that is known to those of skill in theart, i.e., by means of conventional mixing, dissolving, granulating,dragee-making, levigating, emulsifying, encapsulating, entrapping orlyophilizing processes. The following methods and excipients are merelyexemplary and are in no way limiting.

In some embodiments, an agent is prepared for delivery in asustained-release, controlled release, extended-release, timed-releaseor delayed-release formulation, for example, in semipermeable matricesof solid hydrophobic polymers containing the therapeutic agent. Varioustypes of sustained-release materials have been established and are wellknown by those skilled in the art. Current extended-release formulationsinclude film-coated tablets, multiparticulate or pellet systems, matrixtechnologies using hydrophilic or lipophilic materials and wax-basedtablets with pore-forming excipients (see, for example, Huang, et al.Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 29:79 (2003); Pearnchob, et al. Drug Dev. Ind.Pharm. 29:925 (2003); Maggi, et al. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 55:99(2003); Khanvilkar, et al., Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 228:601 (2002); andSchmidt, et al., Int. J. Pharm. 216:9 (2001)). Sustained-releasedelivery systems can, depending on their design, release the compoundsover the course of hours or days, for instance, over 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,16, 20, 24 hours or more. Usually, sustained release formulations can beprepared using naturally-occurring or synthetic polymers, for instance,polymeric vinyl pyrrolidones, such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP);carboxyvinyl hydrophilic polymers; hydrophobic and/or hydrophilichydrocolloids, such as methylcellulose, ethylcellulose,hydroxypropylcellulose, and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose; andcarboxypolymethylene.

The sustained or extended-release formulations can also be preparedusing natural ingredients, such as minerals, including titanium dioxide,silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, and clay (see, U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,521,herein incorporated by reference). Exemplified extended releaseformulations that can be used in delivering a compound of the presentinvention include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,635,680;6,624,200; 6,613,361; 6,613,358, 6,596,308; 6,589,563; 6,562,375;6,548,084; 6,541,020; 6,537,579; 6,528,080 and 6,524,621, each of whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference. Controlled releaseformulations of particular interest include those described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,607,751; 6,599,529; 6,569,463; 6,565,883; 6,482,440; 6,403,597;6,319,919; 6,150,354; 6,080,736; 5,672,356; 5,472,704; 5,445,829;5,312,817 and 5,296,483, each of which is hereby incorporated herein byreference. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize otherapplicable sustained release formulations.

The pharmaceutical formulations of the invention can be provided as asalt and can be formed with many acids, including but not limited tohydrochloric, sulfuric, acetic, lactic, tartaric, malic, succinic, etc.Salts tend to be more soluble in aqueous or other protonic solvents thatare the corresponding free base forms. In other cases, the preparationmay be a lyophilized powder in 1 mM-50 mM histidine, 0.1%-2% sucrose,2%-7% mannitol at a pH range of 4.5 to 5.5, that is combined with bufferprior to use.

For oral administration, an agent of the present invention can beformulated readily by combining with pharmaceutically acceptablecarriers that are well known in the art. Such carriers enable thecompounds to be formulated as tablets, pills, dragees, capsules,emulsions, lipophilic and hydrophilic suspensions, liquids, gels,syrups, slurries, suspensions and the like, for oral ingestion by apatient to be treated. Pharmaceutical preparations for oral use can beobtained by mixing the compounds with a solid excipient, optionallygrinding a resulting mixture, and processing the mixture of granules,after adding suitable auxiliaries, if desired, to obtain tablets ordragee cores. Suitable excipients are, in particular, fillers such assugars, including lactose, sucrose, mannitol, or sorbitol; cellulosepreparations such as, for example, maize starch, wheat starch, ricestarch, potato starch, gelatin, gum tragacanth, methyl cellulose,hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and/orpolyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). If desired, disintegrating agents can beadded, such as a cross-linked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, agar, or alginicacid or a salt thereof such as sodium alginate.

Pharmaceutical preparations which can be used orally include push-fitcapsules made of gelatin, as well as soft, sealed capsules made ofgelatin and a plasticizer, such as glycerol or sorbitol. The push-fitcapsules can contain the active ingredients in admixture with fillersuch as lactose, binders such as starches, and/or lubricants such astalc or magnesium stearate and, optionally, stabilizers. In softcapsules, the active compounds can be dissolved or suspended in suitableliquids, such as fatty oils, liquid paraffin, or liquid polyethyleneglycols. In addition, stabilizers can be added. All formulations fororal administration should be in dosages suitable for suchadministration.

Dragee cores are provided with suitable coatings. For this purpose,concentrated sugar solutions can be used, which can optionally containgum arabic, talc, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, carbopol gel, polyethyleneglycol, and/or titanium dioxide, lacquer solutions, and suitable organicsolvents or solvent mixtures. Dyestuffs or pigments can be added to thetablets or dragee coatings for identification or to characterizedifferent combinations of active compound doses.

The agents can be formulated for parenteral administration by injection,e.g., by bolus injection or continuous infusion. For injection, thecompound can be formulated into preparations by dissolving, suspendingor emulsifying them in an aqueous or nonaqueous solvent, such asvegetable or other similar oils, synthetic aliphatic acid glycerides,esters of higher aliphatic acids or propylene glycol; and if desired,with conventional additives such as solubilizers, isotonic agents,suspending agents, emulsifying agents, stabilizers and preservatives. Insome embodiments, an agent of the invention can be formulated in aqueoussolutions, preferably in physiologically compatible buffers such asHanks's solution, Ringer's solution, or physiological saline buffer.Formulations for injection can be presented in unit dosage form, e.g.,in ampules or in multi-dose containers, with an added preservative. Thecompositions can take such forms as suspensions, solutions or emulsionsin oily or aqueous vehicles, and can contain formulatory agents such assuspending, stabilizing and/or dispersing agents.

Pharmaceutical formulations for parenteral administration includeaqueous solutions of the active agents in water-soluble form.Additionally, suspensions of the active agents can be prepared asappropriate oily injection suspensions. Suitable lipophilic solvents orvehicles include fatty oils such as sesame oil, or synthetic fatty acidesters, such as ethyl oleate or triglycerides, or liposomes. Aqueousinjection suspensions can contain substances which increase theviscosity of the suspension, such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose,sorbitol, or dextran. Optionally, the suspension can also containsuitable stabilizers or agents which increase the solubility of thecompounds to allow for the preparation of highly concentrated solutions.Alternatively, the active ingredient can be in powder form forconstitution with a suitable vehicle, e.g., sterile pyrogen-free water,before use.

Systemic administration can also be by transmucosal or transdermalmeans. For transmucosal or transdermal administration, penetrantsappropriate to the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation.For topical administration, the agents are formulated into ointments,creams, salves, powders and gels. In one embodiment, the transdermaldelivery agent can be DMSO. Transdermal delivery systems can include,e.g., patches. For transmucosal administration, penetrants appropriateto the barrier to be permeated are used in the formulation. Suchpenetrants are generally known in the art. Exemplified transdermaldelivery formulations that can find use in the present invention includethose described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,589,549; 6,544,548; 6,517,864;6,512,010; 6,465,006; 6,379,696; 6,312,717 and 6,310,177, each of whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference.

For buccal administration, the agents can take the form of tablets orlozenges formulated in conventional manner.

In addition to the formulations described previously, an agent of thepresent invention can also be formulated as a depot preparation. Suchlong acting formulations can be administered by implantation (forexample subcutaneously or intramuscularly) or by intramuscularinjection. Thus, for example, the agents can be formulated with suitablepolymeric or hydrophobic materials (for example as an emulsion in anacceptable oil) or ion exchange resins, or as sparingly solublederivatives, for example, as a sparingly soluble salt.

The pharmaceutical compositions also can comprise suitable solid or gelphase carriers or excipients. Examples of such carriers or excipientsinclude but are not limited to calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate,various sugars, starches, cellulose derivatives, gelatin, and polymerssuch as polyethylene glycols.

Pharmaceutical compositions suitable for use in the present inventioninclude compositions wherein the active ingredients are contained in atherapeutically effective amount. The present invention alsocontemplates pharmaceutical compositions comprising the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating compounds as described herein with an effectiveamount of other therapeutic agents as combination partners, particularlythose used for treating demyelinating diseases, such as immunomodularyagents. An effective amount of the agent and/or combination partnerwill, of course, be dependent on the subject being treated, the severityof the affliction and the manner of administration. Determination of aneffective amount is well within the capability of those skilled in theart, especially in light of the detailed disclosure provided herein.Generally, an efficacious or effective amount of an agent is determinedby first administering a low dose or small amount, and thenincrementally increasing the administered dose or dosages until adesired therapeutic effect is observed in the treated subject, withminimal or no toxic side effects. Applicable methods for determining anappropriate dose and dosing schedule for administration of the presentinvention are described, for example, in Goodman and Gilman's ThePharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 11th Ed., Brunton, Lazo andParker, Eds., McGraw-Hill (2006), and in Remington: The Science andPractice of Pharmacy, 21st Ed., Gennaro, Ed., Lippencott Williams &Wilkins (2003), both of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference. In some embodiments, one or both of a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent and an immunomodulary agent are formulated ina therapeutically effective dose. In some embodiments, one or both of aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and an immunomodulary agentare formulated in a subtherapeutic dose. In some embodiments, aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is formulated in atherapeutically effective dose and an immunomodulary agent is formulatedin a subtherapeutic dose. In some embodiments, an immunomodulary agentis formulated in a therapeutically effective dose and a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is formulated in a subtherapeutic dose.

The pharmaceutical preparation is preferably in unit dosage form. Insuch form the preparation is subdivided into unit doses containingappropriate quantities of the active component. The unit dosage form canbe a packaged preparation, the package containing discrete quantities ofpreparation, such as packeted tablets, capsules, and powders in vials orampoules. Also, the unit dosage form can be a capsule, tablet, cachet,or lozenge itself, or it can be the appropriate number of any of thesein packaged form.

Administration

Administration of a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and/or animmunomodulatory agent can be achieved in various ways, including oral,buccal, parenteral, including intravenous, intradermal, subcutaneous,intramuscular, transdermal, transmucosal, intranasal, etc.,administration. When a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and animmunomodulatory agent are co-administered, the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent can be administered by the same or differentroute of administration as the immunomodulatory agent. In someembodiments, a compound of the present invention (e.g., aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and/or an immunomodulatoryagent) is administered systemically.

The dosages and frequency of administration will depend upon variousfactors generally appreciated by those of skill in the art, including,e.g., the severity of a subject's disease. Generally, daily doses canrange from about 0.001-100 mg/kg total body weight, from about 0.01-50mg/kg, or from about 0.01 mg/kg-10 mg/kg. However, doses in the range of10-500 mg/kg per day may be effective and well tolerated. The principaldetermining factor in defining the appropriate dose is the amount of aparticular compound necessary to be therapeutically effective in aparticular context. Repeated administrations may be required in order toachieve longer lasting immune tolerance. Single or multipleadministrations of the compositions can be carried out with the doselevels and pattern being selected by the treating physician.

In some embodiments, a compound of the present invention (e.g., aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and/or an immunomodulatoryagent) is administered to a subject in need thereof over an extendedperiod of time. The methods can be carried out for at least 20 days, insome embodiments for at least 40, 60, 80 or 100 days, and in someembodiments for at least 150, 200, 250, 300, 350 days, 1 year or longer.In some embodiments, a compound of the present invention (e.g., aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and/or an immunomodulatoryagent) is administered to a subject in need thereof at or after theonset of one or more symptoms of a demyelinating disease. In someembodiments, a compound of the present invention (e.g., aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and/or an immunomodulatoryagent) is administered to a subject in need thereof prior to the onsetof symptoms of a demyelinating disease (i.e., prophylactically).

Co-Administration

In some embodiments, the methods of the present invention compriseco-administering a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and animmunomodulatory agent. Co-administered agents can be administeredtogether or separately, simultaneously or at different times. Whenadministered, the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and theimmunomodulatory agent independently can be administered once, twice,three, four times daily or more or less often, as needed. In someembodiments, the agents are administered once daily. In someembodiments, the agents are administered at the same time or times, forinstance as an admixture. One or more of the agents can be administeredin a sustained-release formulation.

In some embodiments, co-administration includes administering one activeagent within 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, or 24 hours of a secondactive agent. Co-administration includes administering two active agentssimultaneously, approximately simultaneously (e.g., within about 1, 5,10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes of each other), or sequentially in any order.In some embodiments, co-administration can be accomplished byco-formulation, i.e., preparing a single pharmaceutical compositionincluding both active agents (i.e., the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent and the immunomodulatory agent are administered as asingle formulation). In other embodiments, the active agents can beformulated separately (i.e., the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent and the immunomodulatory agent are administered as separateformulations). In another embodiment, the active and/or adjunctiveagents may be linked or conjugated to one another.

In some embodiments, one or both of a neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent and an immunomodulatory agent can be administeredprophylactically to prevent undesirable recurrence of the symptoms ofthe demyelinating disease (e.g., to prevent or delay the recurrence ofclinical attacks in MS), or therapeutically to achieve a desiredreduction in symptoms of the demyelinating disease and maintain suchreduction in symptoms of the demyelinating disease for a sustainedperiod of time.

V. Kits

In another aspect, the present invention provides kits for use in thetreatment of a demyelinating disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis,idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease, transverse myelitis,Devic's disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, opticneuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatorydemyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmune peripheral neuropathy,Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis,adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary opticneuropathy, or human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-associatedmyelopathy). In some embodiments, the kit comprises a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent selected from a muscarinic receptorantagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histamine receptorantagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioid receptormodulator. In some embodiments, the kit comprises a neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent selected from a compound listed in Table 1. Insome embodiments, the kit comprises a neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent selected from benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol,salbutamol, trifluoperazine, and salts thereof. In some embodiments, thekit comprises benztropine or a salt thereof.

In some embodiments, a kit of the present invention further comprises animmunomodulatory agent. In some embodiments, the kit comprises aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and an immunomodulatory agentfor the treatment of MS (e.g., interferon-β, e.g., interferon beta-1a orinterferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, fingolimod(FTY720), natalizumab, rituximab, daclizumab, or alemtuzumab). In someembodiments, the kit comprises a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent selected from benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol,trifluoperazine, and salts thereof and an immunomodulatory agentselected from interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatirameracetate, mitoxantrone, fingolimod (FTY720), natalizumab, rituximab,daclizumab, and alemtuzumab. In some embodiments, the kit comprisesbenztropine or a salt thereof and an immunomodulatory agent selectedfrom interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, and fingolimod (FTY720).

In some embodiments, a kit comprises a neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent as described herein and an immunomodulatory agent in asingle formulation. In some embodiments, a kit comprises aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent as described herein and animmunomodulatory agent in separate formulations. Suitable formulationsfor the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent and immunomodulatoryagent are described herein. In some embodiments, a kit provides aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent agent as described herein andone or more additional therapeutic agents (e.g., an immunomodulatoryagent) independently in uniform dosage formulations throughout thecourse of treatment. In some embodiments, a kit provides aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent as described herein and oneor more additional therapeutic agents (e.g., an immunomodulatory agent)independently in graduated dosages over the course of treatment, eitherincreasing or decreasing, but usually increasing to an efficaciousdosage level, according to the requirements of an individual. In someembodiments, a kit comprises a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent as described herein in a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent in a therapeutically effective dose. In someembodiments, a kit comprises a neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent as described herein in a therapeutically effective dose and animmunomodulatory agent in a subtherapeutic dose.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are offered to illustrate, but not to limit theclaimed invention.

Example 1 Small Molecule Screen to Identify Inducers of OPCDifferentiation

A large-scale small molecule screen was conducted to identify smallmolecules that promote the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursorcells (OPCs) to a mature myelinating fate. High content imaging was usedto detect in-well differentiation of rat optic nerve derived OPCs. Ratoptic nerve derived OPCs were expanded en masse in OPC media containing30 ng/mL PDGFαα. To screen for small molecule inducers of OPCdifferentiation, OPCs (cultured for fewer than 15 passages) were platedin poly-D-lysine coated 384 well culture plates in OPC Media containing2 ng/mL PDGFαα and immediately treated with compounds at a finalconcentration of 6 μM (0.6% DMSO). Compound treated cells were incubatedat 37° C., 5% CO₂ for 6 days. At the end of 6 days, cells were fixed in4% paraformaldehyde and subjected to immunofluorescence analysis.Anti-Myelin Basic Protein monoclonal antibody (a.a. 129-138, clone 1monoclonal antibody, Millipore) (1:1000 dilution) in blocking bufferesolution (3% BSA, 0.3% Triton X-100 in PBS) was added to fixed andwashed cells and incubated at 4° C. overnight. The primary antibodysolution was removed and cells were washed with PBS prior to incubationwith a blocking buffer solution containing goat anti-mouse IgG Alexafluor488 (Invitrogen) secondary antibody (1:1000 dilution) and DAPI (2ug/mL) for 1 hr at 25° C. The secondary antibody solution was washedwith PBS and plates were imaged using an OPERA high content screeningsystem (Perkin Elmer). A cell scoring based image analysis algorithm wasused to identify and score MBP positive cells. Hits were identified ascompounds that induced >400 cells/field and >5% MBP positivecells/field. The average values for DMSO negative controls wereconsistently <0.5% MBP positive. A total of 6058 compounds comprised ofcommercially available small molecule screening collections (LOPAC,Tocris, Enzo) were screened. A total of 104 primary hits wereidentified. These consisted of a number of known OPC differentiatinginducing agents (e.g., retenoids, sterols, nucleoside analogues, Rhokinase inhibitors), as well as a number of previously unidentified OPCdifferentiation inducing agents (e.g., neurotransmitter modulatingagents).

Identified primary hits were subsequently evaluated by determining EC50values in multiple replicate experiments using the primary assay formatfor determining OPC differentiation. Cells were treated with compoundsserially diluted in DMSO (10 dilutions of 1:3 across a range of 71 μM to4 nM). Staining and imaging was performed as described for the primaryscreen. EC₅₀ values were determined using appropriate curve fittingequations in Graphpad Prism 5.0. FIG. 1A shows the EC50 for sixidentified hits (carbetapentane, clemastine, benztropine,trifluoperazine, salmeterol, and GBR12935), all of which areFDA-approved blood-brain barrier-penetrating drugs. FIG. 1 also showsthe ability of these six identified hits to induce differentiation ofOPCs (as measured by the percentage of myelin basic protein(MBP)-positive cells) at varying concentrations (FIG. 1B). For each ofthese agents, when the OPC sample was cultured with an agent at maximumpotency, the percentage of resulting MBP-positive cells was at least 10%(FIG. 1C). For GBT12935, the percentage of resulting MBP-positive cellswas over 15%. These results show that carbetapentane, clemastine,benztropine, trifluoperazine, salmeterol, and GBR12935 all promote OPCdifferentiation.

Example 2 Validation of Hits from Small Molecule Screen

Several classes of neurotransmitter receptor modulating agents that wereidentified by the primary screen were selected based on FDA approvalstatus, known toxicity, and brain pharmacokinetics for evaluation insubsequent in vitro and in vivo validation assays. The ability ofcompounds to induce robust differentiation of OPCs to a fully maturemyelinating oligodendrocyte cell fate was evaluated in vitro usingquantitative RT-PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence analysistechniques. The ability of compounds to induce remyelination in vivo (inthe presence of inflammatory insult) was evaluated using a proteolipidprotein (PLP) induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalitis (EAE) mousemodel of relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Quantitative RT-PCR (“qRT-PCR”) and Western blot analysis were performedon OPC samples that had been cultured with DMSO (negative control), T3(positive control), benztropine, carbetapentane, clemastine,trifluoperazine, GBR12935, or salmeterol to measure the levels ofexpression of MBP and MOG, markers for myelinating oligodendrocytes. Asshown in FIG. 2A, OPC samples cultured with benztropine, carbetapentane,clemastine, GBR12935, or salmeterol all were positive for MBP and MOGexpression. qRT-PCR showed two-fold induction of expression, or greater,of MBP and MOG for OPC samples cultured with benztropine,carbetapentane, clemastine, trifluoperazine, GBR12935, or salmeterol(FIG. 2B-C).

Immunofluorescence was also used to confirm that the hits were able toinduce oligodendrocyte maturation. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4,immunofluorescence analysis confirmed the presence of multiple markersof mature myelinating oligodendrocytes (MBP, MOG, CNP, GalC, O1, and O4)following treatment of in vitro cultures with benztropine,carbetapentane, clemastine, trifluoperazine, GBR12935, or salmeterol.

Two of the compounds, trifluoperazine and benztropine, were tested invivo in proteolipid protein (PLP) induced Experimental AutoimmuneEncephalitis (EAE) mice, a model of multiple sclerosis. 10 week old SJLmice were immunized with PLP emulsion and pertusis toxin to induce EAE.EAE symptoms developed in mice within 10 days after immunization.Animals that developed EAE showed neurological deficits ranging fromimpaired tail movements to paralysis in all 4 limbs with the most severesymptoms lasting for about 4 days, followed by a period of remission.Compounds were administered daily via intraperitoneal injection of 100ul in sterile saline at 10 mg/kg alone or in combination withmycophenolate motefil in sterile saline at pH 5 at 20 mg/kg. Compoundadministration was initiated at disease onset (day 10) whilemycophenolate motefil administration was initiated on Day 14. The micewere scored daily on a standard EAE scale of 0-5. MS-like symptoms wereinduced in 65-100% of the mice. Mycophenolate motefil, used at asub-optimal dose showed a decrease in severity of the relapse (FIG. 5A).Trifluoperazine showed a modest decrease in recovery time following theacute phase (FIG. 5D-E). Each of trifluoperazine and benztropine alonesignificantly reduced the intensity of relapse measured as significantlylower EAE scores for compound treated animals compared to vehiclecontrols (FIG. 5B, D). In the presence of mycophenolate motefil norelapse was observed in animals treated with compounds (FIG. 5C, E).Thus, trifluoperazine and benztropine prevented relapse and improvedmotor and cognitive function as compared to the controls.

In another set of experiments, four compounds (benztropine, clemastine,trifluoperazine, and salbutamol) were tested in vivo in a EAE model. Asshown in FIG. 34A, mice treated with benztropine (10 mg/kg) in aprophylactic mode showed a significantly decreased clinical severity inboth acute and relapse phase of the disease as compared to vehicletreated mice. In a therapeutic mode, each of benztropine (FIG. 34C),trifluoperazine (FIG. 34D), clemastine (FIG. 34E), and salbutamol (FIG.34E) showed a significantly decreased clinical severity in the relapsephase of the disease as compared to vehicle treated mice.

The pharmacological mechanisms of identified OPCdifferentiation-inducing agents was also investigated. It was determinedthat multiple pharmacological mechanisms exist for inducing OPCdifferentiation with identified agents. For example, as shown in FIG.6A, muscarinic receptor agonism with carbachol inhibited the OPCdifferentiation induced by benztropine, carbetapentane, and clemastine,suggesting the mechanism at least some OPC differentiation-inducingagents is muscarinic receptor antagonism. Other muscarinic receptorantagonists, atropine and ipratropium, also induce OPC differentiation.However, carbachol did not inhibit OPC differentiation induced bysalmeterol, GBR12935, or trifluoperazine, suggesting these agents induceOPC differentiation by one or more pharmacological mechanisms.

Example 3 A Stem Cell-Based Strategy for the Treatment of MultipleSclerosis

Studies aimed at evaluating the presence and relative densities of OPCsat sites of chronically demyelinated MS lesions indicate that it is nota failure of repopulation or migration of OPCs, but rather inhibition ofOPC differentiation at sites of injury that contributes to diseaseprogression (D. M. Chari, W. F. Blakemore, Glia, 37, 307 (2002); D. M.Chari et al., J Neurosci Res, 73, 787 (2003); G. Wolswijk, J Neurosci,18, 601 (1998); A. Chang et al., N Engl J Med, 346, 165 (2002); T.Kuhlmann et al., Brain, 131, 1749 (2008)). As such, the identificationof drug-like small molecules that selectively induce differentiation ofOPCs at sites of demyelinated lesions would have a significant impact onthe development of new, effective treatments for MS (D. Kremer et al.,Ann Neurol, 69, 602 (2011)).

Primary rodent and human OPCs proliferate in vitro when cultured inserum-free media containing PDGF (C. Ffrench-Constant, M. C. Raff,Nature, 319, 499 (1986); M. C. Raff et al., J Exp Biol, 132, 35 (1987)).Upon withdrawal of PDGF, immature OPCs cease to proliferate, but alsofail to efficiently differentiate to a mature myelin basic protein (MBP)positive fate (FIG. 11). Addition of triiodothryonine (T3), a knowninducer of OPC differentiation (M. C. Nunes et al., Nat Med, 9, 439(2003); N. Billon et al., Dev Biol, 235, 110 (2001); N. Billon et al.,EMBO J, 21, 6452 (2002); Y. M. Tokumoto, D. G. Tang, M. C. Raff, EMBO J20, 5261 (2001); Fernandes, 2004; L. Calza, M. Fernandez, L. Giardino, JMol Endocrinol, 44, 13 (2010)), at the time of mitogen withdrawalresults in the differentiation of OPCs to MBP positive oligodendrocytesfollowing 6 days of culture (FIG. 11). Unfortunately, T3 has multiplephysiological effects that make it unattractive as an OPCdifferentiation-based therapeutic.

To identify small drug-like molecules that induce OPC differentiation,we developed a high content imaging assay that is based on the inductionMBP expression in primary rat optic nerve derived OPCs cultured for 6days under basal differentiation conditions. The assay was adapted to384 well format and used to screen collections of known biologicallyactive compounds, as well as a collection of ˜50K structurally diversedrug-like molecules. This led to the identification of multiplepreviously identified inducers of OPC differentiation includingretinoids, corticosteroids, nucleoside analogs, Rho-kinase inhibitorsand ErbB inhibitors (M. J. Latasa et al., Glia, 58, 1451 (2010); C. E.Buckley et al., Neuropharmacology, 59, 149 (2010); L. Joubert et al., JNeurosci Res, 88, 2546 (2010); A. S. Baer et al., Brain 132, 465 (2009);A. S. Paintlia et al., Mol Pharmacol, 73, 1381 (2008); C. Ibanez et al.,Prog Neurobiol, 71, 49 (2003); L. Giardino, C. Bettelli, L. Calza,Neurosci Lett, 295, 17 (2000)), which have limited therapeutic potentialdue to off-target activities, toxicity, or a demonstrated lack of invivo efficacy. Surprisingly, among the most effective inducers of OPCdifferentiation was benztropine (EC₅₀˜350 nM), for which OPCdifferentiation activity has not previously been reported (FIGS. 7A and12). We chose to further investigate the activity of this compound, asit is an orally available, well-tolerated, FDA approved drug thatreadily crosses the blood brain barrier, and therefore has the potentialto move rapidly to proof of concept studies as a new treatment for MS.

Benztropine-induced in vitro differentiation of rodent OPCs wasconfirmed by evaluating the transcription and translation levels of theoligodendrocyte specific markers MBP and myelin oligodendroglialglycoprotein (MOG) by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively(FIGS. 7B and 13). Additionally, in vitro OPC differentiation activitywas assessed by immunofluorescent analysis using multiple markersspecifically expressed in mature oligodendrocytes (including MBP, MOG,2′,3′-cyclic-nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase (CNP), galactocerebrosidase(GalC), oligodendrocyte marker O1 (O1) and oligodendrocyte marker O4(O4)) following six days of compound treatment (FIG. 14). Furthermore,global gene expression profiles of OPCs treated for 6 days withbenztropine were found to cluster with those obtained from T3 treatedpositive control cells (FIG. 15). Downregulation of OPC specific genesrequired for proliferation (e.g., Idr2, Egr1, Sox11; V. A. Swiss et al.,PLoS One, 6, e18088 (2011)), and upregulation of maturemyelinatingoligodendrocyte specific genes (e.g., lipid metabolism,myelin related proteins (V. A. Swiss et al., PLoS One, 6, e18088 (2011))was observed following treatment of OPCs with benztropine (FIG. 16). Inorder to determine the stage of OPC differentiation at which benztropineis active (Gard, Neuron, 3, 615 (1990); A. L. Gard, S. E. Pfeiffer, DevBiol, 159, 618 (1993); D. Avossa, S. E. Pfeiffer, J Neurosci Res, 34,113 (1993); R. Aharoni et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A., 102, 19045(2005)), we treated OPCs for differing durations starting at multipletime points (FIG. 17). Maximal induction of MBP expression was observedwhen compound was added within 48 hours of PDGF withdrawal and left toincubate for 5 days (FIG. 17), indicating that this drug likely acts onimmature A2B5 positive OPCs and not on an intermediate“pre-oligodendrocyte” stage of differentiation.

Benztropine is used clinically for the management of Parkinson's diseaseand its pharmacological activity is thought to result fromanticholinergic activity that decreases the imbalance between dopamineand acetylcholine (A. J. Eshleman et al., Mol Pharmacol, 45, 312 (1994);R. Katsenschlager et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev, CD003735 (2003);J. T. Coyle and S. H. Snyder, Science, 166, 899 (1969)). In addition toits anticholinergic activity, P Benztropine is a centrally actinganti-histamine and dopamine re-uptake inhibitor (G. E. Agoston et al., JMed Chem, 40, 4329 (1997); J. L. Katz et al., J Pharmacol Exp Therap,309, 605 (2004); D. Simoni et al., J Med Chem, 48, 3337 (2005)). Inorder to determine the mechanism of action of benztropine, we evaluatedthe ability of selective agonists of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors(mAChRs) (e.g., carbachol) or histaminergic receptors (e.g., histamineand histamine trifloromethyl-toluidine (HTMT)) to block benztropineactivity. Potent inhibition of benztropine induced OPC differentiationwas observed in the presence of carbachol (FIGS. 7C and 18), whereashistamine or HTMT showed no observable effect (FIG. 19). In addition,neither the dopamine receptor antagonist haloperidol, nor the dopaminereceptor agonist quinpirole affected the induction of OPCdifferentiation by benztropine (FIG. 20). Quinpirole did not inducesignificant differentiation when used alone either (data not shown). Wetherefore next evaluated a panel of mAChR antagonists (atropine,oxybutynin, scopolamine, ipratropium, and propiverine) and found thatall induced OPC differentiation in a dose dependent manner (FIG. 21).OPCs express mAChRs, predominantly subtypes M₁, M₃, and M₅ (F. Ragheb etal., J Neurochem, 77, 1396 (2001)). We confirmed expression of thesereceptors, as well as the acetylcholine synthesizing enzyme, cholineacetyl transferase, in OPCs by RT-PCR (FIG. 22). Carbachol inducedactivation of mAChRs triggers protein kinase-C dependent activation ofthe MAPK/ERK pathway leading to modulation of c-Fos expression (F.Ragheb et al., J Neurochem, 77, 1396 (2001)). Western blot analysis ofbenztropine treated OPCs was consistent with general inhibition of thispathway (i.e., decreased phospho-p42/44 MAPK and phospho-Akt andstimulated phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and CREB) (FIG. 23A).Additionally, transcript levels of cyclin D1, cyclin D2, c-Fos, andc-Jun were significantly decreased in benztropine treated OPCs,consistent with a mechanism involving general inhibition of MAPK/ERKdependent cell cycle progression (FIG. 23B). Activation of M₁ and M₃mAChRs is coupled to downstream signal transduction events throughphospholipase C, which results in increased intracellular calciumconcentrations (F. Ragheb et al., J Neurochem, 77, 1396 (2001)) (FIG.23C). M₂ and M₄ mAChR activation inhibits adenylatecyclase, leading todecreased intracellular cAMP levels (C. C. Felder, FASEB J, 9, 619(1995); M. Lopez-Ilasaca et al., Science, 275, 394 (1997)). In OPCs,benztropine inhibits carbachol induced calcium influx, but has no effecton cAMP levels (FIG. 24). Together, these results suggest thatbenztropine induces OPC differentiation by a mechanism involving directantagonism of M₁/M₃ muscarinic receptors. Acetylcholine is a knownregulator of OPC proliferation and, as such, muscarinic receptorsubtypes represent a reasonable class of therapeutic targets for themodulation of OPC proliferation and differentiation (F. De Angelis etal., Dev Neurobiol, (2011)).

We next examined the activity of benztropine in the myelin proteolipidprotein (PLP)-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE)rodent model of relapsing-remitting MS (D. A. Sipkins, J Neuroimmunol,104, 1 (2000); T. Owens, S. Sriram, Neurol Clin, 13, 51 (1995)). Thismodel is most commonly used to evaluate the potential efficacy ofimmunomodulatory agents, but can also be used to determine theeffectiveness of promyelinating agents that function by enhancing OPCdifferentiation (M. Fernandez et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U.S.A, 101,16363 (2004); X. Lee et al., J Neurosci, 27, 220 (2007); reviewed in R.J. Franklin, C. Ffrench-Constant, Nat Rev Neurosci, 9, 839 (2008)).Benztropine (10 mg/kg) was dosed prophylactically using a dailyintraperitoneal (IP) injection regimen initiated at the onset ofimmunization of 8 week old SJL mice with PLP. Benztropine dramaticallydecreased the severity of the acute phase of disease and virtuallyeliminated the observation of a relapse phase as compared to vehicletreated controls (FIGS. 8A and 25). We next evaluated efficacy when thedrug is dosed therapeutically, by starting daily injections at the firstsign of disease onset. Treatment with benztropine in this mode again ledto functional recovery, with significant decreases in clinical severityin remission phases observed and the occurrence of relapse againvirtually eliminated (FIG. 8A). In fact, treatment with benztopine inthis mode resulted in decreases in observed clinical severity thatexceeded those observed for the immunomodulating MS drugs FTY720 orinterferon-β (dosed at near maximally tolerated doses) (FIG. 8A).

In parallel experiments, during relapse phases (day 23-25), we isolatedspinal cords from benztropine or vehicle treated mice and stainedsections from multiple regions of each spinal cord with luxol fast blue(LFB) (to visualize myelin) or H&E (to visualize infiltrating immunecells). Sections from both vehicle and benztropine treated mice showedsignificant infiltration by H&E reactive immune cells (FIG. 26). Invehicle treated mice, areas of infiltration corresponded to areas withsignificant demyelination (FIG. 26). In contrast, in benztropine treatedmice, a large number of immune cell infiltrated areas stained positivefor LFB, consistent with a stem cell versus immunomodulatory mechanism(FIG. 26). We further evaluated drug-enhanced remyelination usingconfocal microscopy, by examining regions of T-cell infiltration inspinal cord sections stained with markers of mature oligodendrocytes(GST-π) and immature OPCs (NG2) (FIG. 8B). Quantitative image analysisof multiple random fields per group indicates that benztropine treatmentcauses a significant increase in the number of GST-π positive matureoligodendrocytes from ˜500 to ˜1100 per field (FIG. 8C), whereas thenumber of NG2 positive cells did not differ significantly with treatment(FIG. 8C). The observed increase in mature oligodendrocyte numbers atsites of T-cell infiltration is consistent with a mechanism ofbenztropine-induced clinical recovery that involves the stimulation ofOPC differentiation, leading to enhanced remyelination, in the contextof an inflammatory environment. Notably, general toxicity was notobserved in drug treated mice, nor was it observed in this histologicalanalysis (i.e., drug induced demyelination was not observed) following 4weeks of daily injections at 10 mg/kg.

The primary immunological processes involved in MS and EAE are T-cellmediated and the primary treatment paradigms are based onimmunomodulatory drugs (T. Kopadze et al., Arch Neurol, 63, 1572 (2006);J. M. Greer et al., J Immunol, 180, 6402 (2007), M. P. Pender and J. M.Greer, curr Allergy Asthma Rep, 7, 285 (2007)). In order to determinewhether the efficacy of benztropine in the EAE model results at least inpart from a T-cell inhibitory activity, we evaluated the effects ofbenztropine on T-cell activation and proliferation. Benztropine had noeffect on T-cell activation or proliferation in vitro, as determined byevaluating CD4⁺/CD69⁺ and CD4⁺/CD25⁺ populations and using a CFSE assay,respectively (FIG. 27). We evaluated the effect of benztropine on theimmune system in vivo in SJL mice in which EAE had or had not beeninduced with PLP. In either diseased or healthy animals, benztropine hadno effect on the number of circulating splenocytes, CD4⁺ cells, CD8⁺cells, CD⁺/CD44Hi cells and CD8⁺/CD44Hi cells (FIGS. 28 and 29). A minorbut significant decrease in B-cell numbers was observed followingtreatment with benztropine (FIGS. 28 and 29). Treatment with benztropinehad no effect on cytokine production, as determined by evaluatingCD4⁺/IL2⁺, CD4⁺/IFN-γ⁺, CD4⁺/IL-10⁺ and CD4⁺/TNF-α⁺ T-cell populationsisolated from drug or vehicle treated normal or diseased mice (FIGS. 28and 29). We also tested the effects of benztropine on T-cell dependentresponses induced by TNP-LPS and TNP-Ficoll and on T-cell independentresponses produced by TNP-KLH. Benztropine had no effect on IgG and IgMproduction in response to any of these antigens (FIG. 30).

We further evaluated the ability of benztropine to induce OPCdifferentiation and enhance remyelination in vivo using the T-cellindependent cuprizone-induced model of demyelination. In this model,mice are fed the copper chelatorbis (cyclohexylidenehydrazide)(cuprizone), which results in oxidative/nitrative stress that causesmitochondrial dysfunction and leads to CNS demyelination (P. Mana etal., Am J Pathol, 168, 1464 (2006); M. Lindner et al., Glia, 56, 1104(2008); P. Mana et al., J Neuroimmunol, 210, 13 (2009); L. Liu et al.,Nat Neurosci, 13, 319 (2010); A. J. Steelman, J. P. Thompson, J. Li,Neurosci Res, 72, 32 (2012)). The demyelinated lesions observed in thismodel are reminiscent of pattern III MS lesions and involve minimalcontribution from hematogenous immune cells (L. Liu et al., NatNeurosci, 13, 319 (2010); C. Lucchinetti et al., Ann Neurol 47, 707(2000); L. T. Remington et al., Am J Pathol, 170, 1713 (2007)).Inclusion of 0.2% (w/v) cuprizone in the diet of C57BL/6 mice induces ademyelination program that proceeds with a defined series of events overa characteristic time course, wherein the corpus callosum shows peakdemyelination following 6-7 weeks of feeding (T. Skripuletz et al., Am JPathol, 172, 1053 (2008)). Spontaneous remyelination is observed 2-4weeks following cuprizone withdrawal (T. Skripuletz et al., Am J Pathol,172, 1053 (2008)). By administering drugs at the time when acuprizone-free diet is reintroduced, the efficacy of promyelinatingagents can be examined by evaluating the relative kinetics of OPCdependent remyelination (T. Skripuletz et al., Am J Pathol, 172, 1053(2008)). Following 7 weeks of exposure, upon withdrawal of cuprizone, weadministered benztropine (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally to 15 week oldC57BL/6 mice. Drug or vehicle treated mice were sacrificed in groups of5 weekly for 5 weeks, following drug treatment, and remyelination wasquantitatively evaluated by staining the corpus callosum regions ofharvested brains with LFB (FIG. 9A, B). Significant demyelination wasclearly observed following seven weeks of treatment with cuprizone, ascompared to control animals. Consistent with an enhancement of OPCdifferentiation and accelerated remyelination, a significant increase inmyelin staining in the corpus callosum was observed at week 2 followingtreatment with benztropine, as compared to the spontaneous remyelinationobserved in vehicle controls (FIG. 9A, B). As expected, at later timepoints spontaneous remyelination was relatively complete and significantdifferences were not observed between drug and vehicle treated animals.A lack of difference at these later time points indicates that, evenfollowing 5 weeks of treatment at efficacious doses, benztropine is nottoxic to mature oligodendrocytes. These data again suggest thatbenztropine enhances the process of in vivo remyelination, by directlyinducing OPC differentiation. Benztropine could also enhanceremyelination by exerting a protective effect on a “pre-oligodendrocyte”intermediate cell type or by a process involving a combination of botheffects. Caspase-3 activation results from both intrinsic and extrinsicapoptotic pathways and serves as a general indicator of stress inducedcell death. Benztropine treatment was not found inhibit caspase-3activation on days 2, 4, and 6 of differentiation, as determined bywestern blot and immunofluorescence analysis (FIG. 32). However, cleavedcaspase-3 was barely detectable in OPCs at any time point in DMSOtreated controls, indicating that failed OPC differentiation does notlikely result from stress induced cell death.

For the treatment of MS, an OPC differentiation inducing drug would mostlikely be introduced clinically as part of a combination therapy with animmunosuppressive drug. Using the PLP induced EAE model, we thereforeevaluated the clinical efficacy of benztropine when combined with eitherof two immunomodulating drugs approved for the treatment of MS,interferon-β and FTY720 (L. Kappos et al., N Engl J Med, 355, 1124(2006); M. Fujino et al., J Pharmacol Exp Ther, 305, 70 (2003); L.Jacobs et al., Arch Neurol, 39, 609 (1982); M. Huber et al., J Neurol,235, 171 (1988)). The former reduces T-cell proliferation and alterscytokine expression (A. Noronha, A. Toscas, M. A. Jensen, JNeuroimmunol, 46, 145 (1993); A. Noronha, A. Toscas, M. A. Jensen, AnnNeurol, 27, 207 (1990)), while the latter is an S1P agonist thatregulates T-cell trafficking (V. Brinkmann et al., J Biol Chem, 277,21453 (2002); V. Brinkmann et al., Nat Rev Drug Discov, 9, 883 (2010)).We determined whether the combination of an OPC inducing drug witheither interferon-β or FTY720 would improve efficacy and/or decrease thedose of the immunosuppressive agent required to achieve maximal benefit.Initially, all three drugs were dosed individually over a range ofconcentrations, to determine suboptimal and maximal effective/tolerateddoses of each in the models (FIGS. 25 and 33 A,B). Benztropine was thenadministered with either of two existing immune modulating treatmentsfor MS, and as described below, these combinations resulted insignificant benefits in the EAE model. Addition of 2.5 mg/kg benztropineto 1 mg/kg FTY720 (FIG. 10A) or 10,000 U/mouse interferon-β (FIG. 10B)resulted in a significant decrease in observed clinical severity, ascompared to that observed when either FTY720 or interferon-β was dosedalone. Further, the combination of 2.5 mg/kg benztropine with asuboptimal dose of FTY720 (0.1 mg/kg) resulted in a significant decreasein clinical severity that was greater than that observed when eitherdrug was dosed alone and was comparable to the clinical efficacyobserved when FTY720 was dosed alone at near the maximal observedtolerated dose of 1 mg/kg (FIG. 10C). This observation may proveclinically relevant as FTY720 treatment is associated with bradycardiawhich is dose dependent.

We have identified a centrally acting FDA approved drug that, when dosedalone in the most clinically relevant model of MS, significantlydecreases disease severity. Benztropine enhances remyelination, leadingto functional recovery, by directly stimulating the differentiation ofOPCs by a mechanism involving antagonism of M₁/M₃ muscarinic receptorsexpressed on immature OPCs. Evidence that this drug functions bydirectly stimulating remyelination, and not by inhibiting demyelination,is provided by the observed lack of effect of benztropine on in vitroand in vivo T-cell biology and by the observed promyelinating activityof benzotropine in the T-cell independent cuprizone-induced model ofdemyelination. Inclusion of benztropine in treatment regimens involvingexisting approved immunomodulatory drugs resulted in enhanced functionalrecovery and significantly decreases the dosages of the latter that arerequired to achieve an equivalent level of efficacy. To our knowledge,these results provide the first in vivo evidence supporting the notionthat a benefit can be achieved by treating MS-like symptoms using thecombination of an immunomodulator with a remyelination enhancer.

It is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein arefor illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changesin light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and areto be included within the spirit and purview of this application andscope of the appended claims. All publications, patents, and patentapplications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in theirentirety for all purposes.

1. A method of stimulating increased myelination of nerves in a humansubject having a demyelinating disease, the method comprising:administering to the subject a therapeutically effective dose of aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent selected from a muscarinicreceptor antagonist, a dopamine receptor antagonist, a histaminereceptor antagonist, a beta adrenergic receptor modulator, and an opioidreceptor modulator; thereby stimulating increased myelination of nervesin the subject.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is a muscarinic receptor antagonist. 3.(canceled)
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the muscarinic receptorantagonist is selected from benztropine, carbetapentane, clemastine,ipratropium, atropine, and salts thereof.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is a dopaminereceptor antagonist.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The method of claim 5, wherein thedopamine receptor antagonist is selected from benztropine, GBR12935,trifluoperazine, and salts thereof.
 8. The method of claim 1, whereinthe neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is a histamine receptorantagonist.
 9. (canceled)
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein thehistamine receptor antagonist is clemastine or a salt thereof.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent is a beta adrenergic receptor antagonist.
 12. (canceled)
 13. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the beta adrenergic receptor antagonist isselected from pindolol, salmeterol, salbutamol, albuterol, salbutamol,and salts thereof.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is an opioid receptormodulator.
 15. (canceled)
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the opioidreceptor modulator is selected from carbetapentane, Snc-80, BD-1047, andsalts thereof.
 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is selected from benztropine, clemastine,salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, and salts thereof. 18.(canceled)
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the demyelinating diseaseis multiple sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease,transverse myelitis, Devic's disease, progressive multifocalleukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis, leukodystrophy, Guillain-Barresyndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, autoimmuneperipheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, acute disseminatedencephalomyelitis, adrenoleukodystrophy, adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber'shereditary optic neuropathy, or HTLV-associated myelopathy. 20.(canceled)
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the method furthercomprises administering to the subject an immunomodulatory agent. 22.The method of claim 21, wherein the immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod(FTY720), interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab.
 23. A method of enhancing the therapeuticeffect of an immunomodulatory agent in the treatment of a demyelinatingdisease, the method comprising: administering to a human subject havingthe demyelinating disease the immunomodulatory agent and aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; thereby enhancing thetherapeutic effect of the immunomodulatory agent in the treatment of thedemyelinating disease.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein thedemyelinating disease is multiple sclerosis, idiopathic inflammatorydemyelinating disease, transverse myelitis, Devic's disease, progressivemultifocal leukoencephalopathy, optic neuritis, leukodystrophy,Guillain-Barre syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinatingpolyneuropathy, auto immune peripheral neuropathy, Charcot-Marie-Toothdisease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, adrenoleukodystrophy,adrenomyeloneuropathy, Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy, orHTLV-associated myelopathy.
 25. (canceled)
 26. The method of claim 23,wherein the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is selected frombenztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, andsalts thereof.
 27. (canceled)
 28. The method of claim 23, wherein theimmunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a,interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab.29. The method of claim 23, wherein: (i) each of the immunomodulatoryagent and the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is administeredat a therapeutically effective dose; or (ii) the neurotransmitterreceptor modulating agent is administered at a therapeutically effectivedose and the immunomodulatory agent is administered at a subtherapeuticdose; or (iii) each of the immunomodulatory agent and theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is administered at asubtherapeutic dose. 30-31. (canceled)
 32. The method of claim 23,wherein the immunomodulatory agent and the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent are administered systemically.
 33. The method of claim23, wherein the immunomodulatory agent and the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent are administered sequentially.
 34. The method of claim23, wherein the immunomodulatory agent and the neurotransmitter receptormodulating agent are administered concurrently.
 35. A composition foruse in treating a subject having a demyelinating disease, thecomposition comprising: a neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent;and an immunomodulatory agent. 36-37. (canceled)
 38. The composition ofclaim 35, wherein the neurotransmitter receptor modulating agent isselected from benztropine, clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol,trifluoperazine, and salts thereof.
 39. (canceled)
 40. The compositionof claim 35, wherein the immunomodulatory agent is fingolimod (FTY720),interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b, glatiramer acetate,mitoxantrone, or natalizumab. 41-43. (canceled)
 44. A kit for use intreating a subject having a demyelinating disease, the kit comprising: aneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent; and an immunomodulatoryagent. 45-46. (canceled)
 47. The kit of claim 44, wherein theneurotransmitter receptor modulating agent is selected from benztropine,clemastine, salmeterol, salbutamol, trifluoperazine, and salts thereof.48. (canceled)
 49. The kit of claim 44, wherein the immunomodulatoryagent is fingolimod (FTY720), interferon beta-1a, interferon beta-1b,glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, or natalizumab. 50-54. (canceled) 55.The method of claim 1, wherein the neurotransmitter receptor modulatingagent is a muscarinic receptor modulator compound, a dopamine receptormodulator compound, a histamine receptor modulating compound, a betaadrenergic receptor modulator compound, or an opioid receptor modulatorcompound listed in Table 1.